Jammu: The Amarnath Yatra has been suspended for Thursday from both the Pahalgam and Baltal base camps due to incessant heavy rainfall over the past two days, the Jammu and Kashmir Information Department announced.

The suspension comes as authorities rush to carry out urgent restoration work on the pilgrimage tracks, which have been affected by the downpour.

This comes a day after a woman pilgrim died and three sustained injuries in a landslide along the Baltal route of the yatra in Ganderbal district.

"Heavy continuous rains over the last two days have necessitated restoration work to be carried out on tracks along both the routes. Border Roads Organisation (BRO) has made heavy deployment of its men and machinery on the tracks to complete the work before Yatra can be released from the two base camps on 18.07.2025," read a statement from the Jammu and Kashmir Public Relations Department.

Kashmir Divisional Commissioner Vijay Kumar Bidhuri also confirmed the suspension and stated that the pilgrimage is expected to resume on July 18, depending on weather conditions.

"Due to the continuous rains over last couple of days, urgent repair and maintenance works are required to be carried out on the tracks. Therefore, it has been decided that no movement shall be allowed towards the Holy Cave from the two base camps today," he said.

"However, yatris who stayed at Panjtarni camp during the preceding night are being allowed to proceed down to Baltal under adequate deployment of BRO and Mountain Rescue Teams (MRT). The Yatra shall resume in all likelihood tomorrow, depending upon the weather conditions during the course of the day," Bidhuri added.

Over 1 lakh pilgrims departed from base camp

More than 2.35 lakh pilgrims have paid obeisance at the 3,880-metre-high shrine since the yatra began on July 3.

A total of 1,01,553 pilgrims have departed from the Jammu base camp for the valley since July 2, when Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha flagged off the first batch.

Over 4 lakh people have registered online for the pilgrimage so far.

Last year, more than 5.10 lakh pilgrims paid obeisance at the cave shrine, which houses a naturally formed ice lingam.

The 38-day pilgrimage will conclude on August 9.

(with PTI and IANS inputs)