Agra/Meerut, Aug. 29 -- Grief has engulfed Muzaffarnagar and Agra after a devastating landslide near the Vaishno Devi pilgrimage route in Jammu and Kashmir on August 26 claimed at least 34 lives, including nine from these two cities. The tragedy, triggered by heavy rains, has left families in shock, with several still waiting anxiously for news about missing or injured loved ones. In Agra's Kumharpada locality, three members of a single family, including an 11-month-old girl, were confirmed dead. The victims-Sunita, 50, Bhawna, 11, and baby Sejal-had travelled to Vaishno Devi for Sejal's Mundan (tonsure) ceremony. They were caught in the landslide when Deepak, Sejal's father, stepped away briefly. "Deepak asked the family to wait while he went to the toilet. That's when the landslide struck," said Anju Gautam, a neighbour. "On Wednesday, we received confirmation about the deaths of Sunita, Bhawna, and Sejal. Deepak's wife, Mona, was injured in the leg, and Arjun Singh, 55, the family patriarch, remains missing." Mona is currently undergoing treatment in Jammu and is feared to have lost her leg. Their other daughter, Angel, survived as she was not present at the site during the incident. The family continues to await the arrival of the bodies, while a steady stream of relatives and neighbours offer support at their home. Another youth from Agra, Shiv Bansal, 20, son of a trader in the Kheragarh area, has also been reported missing after leaving for the pilgrimage earlier this week. His family remains in a state of distress as search operations continue. Six from three different families lost lives in Muzaffarnagar In Muzaffarnagar, six pilgrims from three different families have been confirmed dead. Among them are a mother-daughter duo, two young boys, a young woman, and a man. Several others from the city are injured or missing. From Muzaffarnagar's Rampuri area alone, a group of 23 had set out for Vaishno Devi on August 25. They were caught between Banganga and Ardhkuwari when the landslide occurred. The deceased include Anant, 10, Dipesh, 8, Ramveeri, 48, Anjali, 21, and one another. Another victim Kartik, 22, a resident of Ramleela Tilla, succumbed to injuries in hospital. Kartik's family-Mintu Kashyap, 46, Sangeeta, 40, Umang, 25, and Vaishnavi, 16-also sustained injuries and are currently undergoing treatment in Jammu. Meanwhile, former Union minister and local MP Sanjeev Balyan visited bereaved families in Muzaffarnagar on Thursday. "It's a tragic incident. Initially, we thought only Kartik had died, but now it's confirmed that five more from South Rampuri have lost their lives. Many others are hospitalised in Jammu. We are coordinating all possible help for the families," he said. However, many other families are waiting to hear from their loved ones who set out to Vaishno Devi. Radha, daughter of Mamtesh, shared that her mother and sister Akanksha had left on the pilgrimage. "They boarded the train on August 25. Since then, we haven't heard from them. Family members have gone to Jammu to search for them," she said. Renu Prajapati from South Krishnapuri expressed anguish over her missing relatives. "My brother-in-law Dharmveer, sister-in-law Doli, and their grandchildren were also on the trip. We last spoke on Monday evening. We heard they were injured, but there's been no communication since."...