Authorities in Jammu and Kashmir (a Himalayan Union Territory in northern India) temporarily suspended several major Hindu pilgrimages on 19 July, citing an India Meteorological Department forecast of widespread rainfall across the region through 23 July. The Amarnath Yatra — an annual trek to a high-altitude cave shrine — was halted on both the Pahalgam and Baltal mountain routes, while pilgrimages to the Mata Vaishno Devi and Shiv Khori shrines in the Reasi district were also called off as a precautionary measure. More than 376,000 pilgrims had already visited the Amarnath shrine since the yatra began on 3 July; authorities said resumption of all pilgrimages would depend on route safety assessments and improving weather conditions.