Dehradun: Monsoon fury continues to cause damage and destruction, especially in the hill states of northern India.
The Kedarnath yatra was put on hold for three days after a landslide in Uttarakhand left two pilgrims dead and six injured on Monday.
The landslide occurred around 7.45 am near Munkatiya, between Sonprayag and Gaurikund, on the Kedarnath route.
Rocks and boulders fell from the hillside and hit a vehicle that was passing by the road, killing two passengers on the spot.
The deceased were identified as Rita (30) and Chandra Singh (68) from Barkot in Uttarkashi district. Four of the six injured persons have been referred to a higher centre for treatment, informed Rudraprayag Disaster Management Officer Nandan Singh Rajwar.
The Rudraprayag district administration decided to stop the Kedarnath yatra till September 3, PTI quoted a local administration official as saying.
The road around the landslide zone has been completely blocked due to landslide debris, and long queues of vehicles were left stranded.
SDRF officials and local workers carried out rescue operations before the roads could be cleared for resumption of traffic.
The sacred Kedarnath temple is located in Rudraprayag district at a height of 3,584 metres. The yatra, which attracts lakhs of devotees every year, opens in April-May and closes around October-November.