Srinagar, Jul 17 (IANS): With over two lakh pilgrims performing the Amarnath Yatra in the past 16 days, officials said it was the highest number to visit the Himalayan cave shrine during the first forthright in the last four years.

On Wednesday, another batch of 4,584 devotees left Jammu for the valley.

Officials said since July 1 when the pilgrimage started, a total of 2,05,083 pilgrims have paid obeisance to the ice stalagmite structure said to have the mythical powers of Lord Shiva.

"This is the highest number of pilgrims to visit the Cave shrine during the first forthright in the last four years," an Amarnath Yatra official said.

On Wednesday, 1,972 yatris left Bhagwati Nagar Yatri Niwas for Baltal while 2,612 for Pahalgam base camp.

So far, 16 pilgrims have died during the Yatra due to natural causes, according to the officials of the SASB.

Situated 3,888 metres above the sea-level in Kashmir Himalayas, the ice structure waxes and wanes with the phases of the moon.

This yatra will conclude on August 15 coinciding with the Shravan Purnima festival.