Mussoorie/pithoragarh, July 3 -- Heavy monsoon rain battered Uttarakhand on Thursday, triggering landslides, boulder falls and rise in water levels that temporarily disrupted both the Badrinath and Kedarnath pilgrimages, damaged houses in Chamoli district and prompted district administrations across state to remain on high alert amid forecasts of more intense rainfall. The Badrinath National Highway was temporarily closed after mud and debris entered several houses at Gulabkoti near Jyotirmath in Chamoli district and spilled onto the highway, disrupting the Char Dham Yatra. Simultaneously, the Kedarnath Yatra was suspended for several hours after boulders and debris blocked the Sonprayag-Munkatiya stretch. In Chamoli, incessant rain sent debris flowing into several houses at Gulabkoti. Disaster response teams and local authorities rushed to the spot to assist affected families. District disaster management officer NK Joshi said four heavy earth-moving machines and three tipper trucks were deployed to remove debris, following which Badrinath highway was reopened for traffic at around 4 pm. In Rudraprayag, the Kedarnath route between Sonprayag and Munkatiya was blocked after a landslide sent massive boulders crashing onto the road, forcing authorities to suspend both vehicular and pedestrian movement as a precaution. District disaster management officer Rudraprayag Nandan Singh Rajwar said teams from multiple departments were working to clear the debris and reopen the route at the earliest. With rivers swelling rapidly due to continuous rain, the Rudraprayag district administration placed the district on high alert. District magistrate Vishal Mishra said a round-the-clock multi-departmental monitoring mechanism had been activated to assess weather conditions, monitor river levels and identify vulnerable locations. "The water levels of all major rivers and seasonal streams are being continuously monitored. High-risk zones are being mapped in real time to issue timely warnings and safety advisories," Mishra said. htc...