The pilgrimage to Kedarnath was temporarily suspended on Thursday after heavy rains triggered a landslide at Munkatiya, near Sonprayag, along the route to the Himalayan shrine.
Police said debris and boulders completely blocked the road at the Munkatiya sliding zone, forcing authorities to halt the yatra as a safety precaution.
Several pilgrims returning from Gaurikund found themselves trapped in the affected area but were rescued swiftly by personnel from the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) and escorted safely to Sonprayag, officials confirmed, reported PTI.
Authorities have stopped the Kedarnath yatra for the time being to ensure the safety of devotees while clearing operations are underway.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast isolated heavy rainfall across several northern states in the coming days, including Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, eastern Rajasthan, Haryana, and Chandigarh from 3 to 8 July.
East Uttar Pradesh is likely to see heavy showers from 3 to 6 July, while Punjab and west Uttar Pradesh could experience significant rainfall between 5 and 8 July. West Rajasthan is expected to receive heavy rain on 3 and 4 July, and Jammu from 5 to 8 July.
Very heavy rainfall is also predicted over Himachal Pradesh from 5 to 7 July, Punjab and Haryana on 6 and 7 July, and eastern Rajasthan on 3 and 4 July.
The latest weather bulletin indicates that light rain is likely at most places across Northwest India over the next seven days, accompanied by thunderstorms, lightning, and gusty winds reaching speeds of 30-40 kmph.
