Kerala: Sabarimala Pilgrimage Suspended On Saturday Due To Heavy Rains, Red Alert Issued At Pamba Dam

Despite the devotees are not allowed for offering prayers at the temple on Saturday, the district administration allows those devotees who have already reached the base camp at Nilakkal

Sabarimala Ayyappa Temple. (Image: ANI)

Chennai: With the coastal regions in the southern part of India is being battered by rains for almost three weeks now the normalcy has been crippled. Disrupting the normal functioning of markets, leaving people to lurch as the rainwater enters the houses and many houses reportedly collapse due to torrential rains has been making headlines of late.

In this context, due to heavy rains in Kerala's Pathanamthitta, the district administration has issued an order to suspend the Sabarimala Ayyappa temple pilgrimage on Saturday. Due to heavy rain, the water level in the Pamba river has swollen while the dam gates (where the red alert has been issued) would be opened later in the day, said District Collector Divya S Iyer.

Kerala: In the wake of the continuous rainfall in Pathanamthitta & rising water levels in Pamba river pilgrimage to Pamba and Sabarimala is hereby prohibited for today ( 20th November) to ensure the safety of pilgrims: Divya S Iyer, District Collector

— ANI (@ANI) November 20, 2021

"The pilgrims who have booked virtual queues will be given the opportunity for darshan in the nearest possible slot once the weather conditions turn conducive. We request the pilgrims to cooperate by not undertaking the journey during this time," said District Collector Divya as quote by ANI.

However, the district administration to allow the devotees who have already reached the base camp at Nilakkal in different batches.

#UPDATE | Pathanamthitta district administration allows those devotees to Sabarimala who have already reached base camp at Nilakkal. The devotees will be allowed in different batches: Divya S Iyer, District Collector

— ANI (@ANI) November 20, 2021