Dehradun: Incessant rains from last two days across Uttarakhand triggered landslides and blocked several roads forcing the state administration to suspend the Chardham Yatra.
Pilgrimage to Kedarnath was halted due to incessant overnight rains lashing Rudraprayag district.
Rudraprayag District Magistrate Raghav Langer said that the Meteorological Department has issued a warning predicting heavy rains and moderate landslides at isolated places in the high altitude districts during the next 48 hours.
He, however, added that temporary suspensions of Chardham Yatra are a routine thing en route to the Himalayan shrine as weather in the area keeps changing quickly.
The yatra will be resumed only after weather permits, he informed.
A landslide beyond Joshimath has also led to temporary interruption of the yatra to Badrinath.
A landslide has occurred about 10 km ahead of the shrine and devotees are not being allowed to proceed beyond Joshimath, Chamoli Superintendent of Police (SP) Sunil Kumar Meena said.
State Disaster Response Force and police personnel are busy clearing the road and the moment it is restored the yatra will be resumed, he said.
Yatris bound for the Sikh shrine of Hemkund Sahib are also not being allowed to go beyond Govindghat for the time being due to bad weather, the SP said.
However, Uttarkashi received moderate rains and yatra to Gangotri and Yamunotri is going on uninterrupted, Uttarkashi Disaster Management office said.
Widespread rains which began in the wee hours are still continuing across Uttarakhand, Meteorological office Director Anand Sharma said.
Places where rains occurred include Munsyari (46 mm), Mukteshwar(39mm), Gairsain (30mm), Uttarkashi (14mm) and Tyuni(9mm).
