Mussoorie, Sept. 18 -- Hemkund Sahib shrine in Uttarakhand's high-altitude region received the season's first snowfall on Thursday as the weather changed across the higher reaches of the state, while several parts of Rudraprayag district, including the Kedarnath valley, experienced spells of rain. The change in weather prompted the Rudraprayag district administration to issue an appeal to pilgrims to exercise caution during the ongoing pilgrimage. Pilgrims have been advised to remain particularly alert while travelling through vulnerable stretches and to take extra precautions in view of the adverse weather conditions. Sunil Purohit, executive officer of the Badrinath Nagar Panchayat, said the higher reaches around Hemkund Sahib and the peaks surrounding Badrinath had received the first snowfall of the season. "The higher reaches of Hemkund Sahib and the peaks surrounding Badrinath have received the first snowfall of the season. At Badrinath, a light to moderate spell of rain was experienced, bringing down the temperature," Purohit said.The deteriorating weather also affected helicopter services to Kedarnath Dham, which were temporarily suspended because of inclement weather and continuous rainfall in the high-altitude shrine area. With the weather conditions posing potential risks to pilgrims travelling along the Kedarnath Yatra route, the administration issued urgent directions to sector officers deployed at various transit points....