Amarnath Yatra: more deaths as 6 pilgrims, pony driver die of natural causes days after cloudburst mishap

Fresh deaths occurred during the ongoing Amarnath Yatra in Jammu and Kashmir. Days after a cloudburst claimed the lives of 15 pilgrims, 6 more pilgrims and a pony driver died due of natural causes.

The latest deaths occurred within a span of 36 hours, and the overall death toll in this year's Amarnath Yatra reached 49 by 16 July morning. The death toll includes 2 pony drivers, one of whom fell from his horse into a deep gorge in Pahalgam.

On 8 July, a flash flood caused by a cloudburst had hit a camp site near the Amarnath cave shrine. 15 people had died, while over 50 were injured in the calamity. The Yatra was suspended for a few days following the flash flood.

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This year's Amarnath Yatra, which started on 30 June, has seen over 1.5 lakh pilgrims visit the shrine. The 2022 Yatra is being held after a gap of 3 years as the revocation of Jammu and Kashmir's special status hampered the 2019 Yatra, and then the Covid-19 pandemic led to cancellations in 2020 and 2021.