Five Amarnath pilgrims die in 24 hours; toll rises to 19
The Hindu
Five Amarnath pilgrims died in 24 hrs, taking death toll to 19. Two from UP, two from MP, one unidentified. Cause of death: cardiac arrest due to low oxygen at high altitudes. 1.37 lakh pilgrims visited shrine till Tues.
Five Amarnath pilgrims died in the past 24 hours, taking the death toll in this year's yatra in the south Kashmir Himalayas to 19, officials said on July 12.
The pilgrims died of cardiac arrest, they added.
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Three deaths took place on the Pahalgam axis of the yatra and two on the Baltal route, the officials said.
Two pilgrims each belonged to Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh, while the other yatri is yet to be identified, they said.
These five deaths have taken the death toll so far in this year's yatra to 19, including an ITBP officer posted on yatra duty, and a sevadar, according to officials.
Cardiac arrest triggered by lower oxygen concentration at high altitudes is one of the most common causes of fatalities among Amarnath pilgrims and security forces posted there for duty.
While residents are worried over deaths due to diarrhoea in Vijayawada, officials still grapple to find the root cause. Contaminated drinking water supplied by VMC officials is the reason, insist people in the affected areas, but officials insist that efforts are on to identify the disease and that those with symptoms other than diarrhoea too are visiting the health camps.