SRINAGAR, JULY 14: Shri Amarnathji Yatra was on Thursday morning temporarily suspended on Baltal route following incessant rains.
The pilgrims who were proceeding to the holy cave from Baltal base camp have been stopped at various places en route the shrine, officials said, adding they will be allowed to resume their pilgrimage after rains stopped.
Meanwhile, rains continued to lash Jammu and Kashmir, bringing mercury down to below normal on Thursday.
The weatherman has forecast more intermittent light to moderate rain and thunderstorm in J&K for next 24 hours. “Intermittent light to moderate rain at many places of Kashmir and few places of Jammu as the day progresses,” said a meteorological department official about the forecast for next 24 hours.
He said that during last 24 hours till 0830 hours today, 9.0mm of rainfall was recorded in Srinagar, 3.6 mm in Qazigund, 1.5 mm in Pahalgam, 7.6 mm in Kupwara, 1.8mm in Kokernag, 4.6 mm in Gulmarg, 24.8 mm in Jammu, 1.0 mm in Banihal, 1.4mm in Batote, 5.4 mm Katra and 3.4 mm in Bhaderwah.
Meanwhile, Srinagar recorded a low of 17.3°C against 18.8°C on the previous night. The temperature was 0.8°C ‘below’ normal during this time of the year for the summer capital, the MeT official said. Qazigund recorded a low of 16.5°C against 17.2°C on the previous night. The temperature was normal for the gateway town of Kashmir, he said.
In Pahalgam, the mercury settled at 11.7°C against 12.8°C on the previous night and it was 0.3°C below normal for the south Kashmir resort. Kokernag recorded a low of 15.3°C against 16.6°C last night and it was 0.6°C below normal for the place, he said.
The World famous Gulmarg resort recorded a low of 10.6°C against 11.5°C and it was 1.2°C below normal for the place. Kupwara town saw a low of 15.1°C against 16.1°C on previous night and it was 1.5°C ‘below’ normal for the place during this time of the season, the official said. Jammu recorded a low of 23.1°C against 27.2°C on the previous night. It was 1.7°C below normal for J&K’s winter capital, he said.
In Jammu division, Banihal recorded a low of 17.4°C, Batote 18.0°C, Katra 22.2°C while Bhadarwah had a minimum of 17.8°C, the official added.