Srinagar, July 18 -- Srinagar- Authorities on Saturday temporarily suspended the annual Amarnath Yatra and the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Yatra as a precautionary measure following the India Meteorological Department's forecast of heavy rainfall and adverse weather across Jammu and Kashmir over the next few days.

The decision came after 16,039 pilgrims paid obeisance at the holy Amarnath cave shrine on Saturday, taking the total number of pilgrims who have completed the pilgrimage since its commencement on July 3 to 3,76,779.

According to official figures, Saturday's pilgrims included 11,785 men, 3,527 women, 235 children, 103 sadhus, 19 sadhvis, five transgender devotees and 365 security personnel.

Meanwhile, the 17th batch of 3,632 pilgr...