Mussoorie, July 29 -- Heavy rain battered Uttarakhand over the past 24 hours, triggering landslides, flash floods and soil erosion, disrupting road connectivity and forcing the suspension of the Char Dham Yatra for two days, officials said on Tuesday. Several rivers rose close to or above warning levels, prompting authorities to issue alerts in vulnerable areas. Garhwal commissioner Anand Swaroop suspended the Char Dham Yatra for two days after landslides and boulder falls blocked key pilgrimage routes. In Dehradun, district magistrate Ashish Chauhan ordered the closure of all government and private schools from Classes 1 to 12 and Anganwadi centres on Tuesday.The India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued localised orange alerts for severe thunderstorms and flash floods as authorities stepped up emergency preparedness. In Rudraprayag, the Kedarnath Yatra was suspended after a major landslide dumped boulders and debris on National Highway 107 at Munkatiya. The highway was blocked at three locations, while two state highways, 10 PWD roads and eight PMGSY roads were also affected. Ukhimath received 120 mm of rainfall. The Alaknanda River at Rudraprayag rose above its warning level before receding later in the day, while the Mandakini also crossed the warning mark. Municipal authorities used loudspeakers to alert residents living along riverbanks. In Uttarkashi, rising water levels prompted emergency discharges from the Maneri Dam and Joshiyada Barrage, with alerts issued to downstream residents. District magistrate Prashant Arya directed disaster management officials to remain on 24-hour alert. Heavy rain also damaged the Yamunotri route, where strong river currents caused a 25-30 metre stretch near Ram Mandir to cave in, rendering the track unusable. A joint team of the PWD, Forest Department, police and SDRF began creating an alternative route. The Gangotri National Highway remained blocked near Gangani-Sunagar, while the Yamunotri National Highway was closed at Silaibend because of shooting stones and falling boulders. In Pauri, the Alaknanda at Srinagar and the river at Rishikesh's Triveni Ghat rose close to alarming levels. Landslides blocked several roads, while a fallen tree damaged an 11-KV power line, disrupting electricity supply in parts of the district. Dehradun was among the worst-hit districts, with Maldevta receiving 233 mm of rain, followed by Hathibarkala (194.5 mm), Jolly Grant (172.2 mm) and Mussoorie (163 mm). Chauhan inspected affected areas and directed officials to clear debris and restore road connectivity on priority. He also ordered disciplinary action against an official over delays in repairing a damaged bridge approach at Nanda Chowki. In Mussoorie, heavy rain caused a retaining wall to collapse near Spring Road, while an uprooted tree damaged a house. Emergency personnel later cleared the debris. Heavy rain also disrupted road connectivity in Tehri and Pithoragarh. In Pithoragarh, a culvert on a China border route was washed away, cutting off access to Nanda Devi Base Camp and Lwa village, while 22 major roads, including the Tanakpur-Tawaghat highway and Tawaghat-Lipulekh road, remained closed. The state recorded 38.8 mm of rainfall against the normal 16 mm in the 24 hours ending 8 am Tuesday....