Rudraprayag, May 12 -- The Meteorological Department on Tuesday issued a widespread weather alert for several districts in Uttarakhand, prompting the Rudraprayag administration to shift into high gear to ensure the safety of thousands of pilgrims currently undertaking the Kedarnath Yatra.

Atmospheric conditions in the hill state have turned volatile, with the weather department predicting a combination of strong winds, frequent lightning strikes, and intense thunderstorms.

The regions expected to be most affected include Almora, Chamoli, Pauri Garhwal, Rudraprayag, Bageshwar, and Pithoragarh.

According to the weather department, areas including Berinag, Chopta, Ukhimath, Gopeshwar, Thalisain, Kedarnath, Kotdwar, Munsyari, Didihat, and ...