Mussoorie, July 31 -- Kedarnath Yatra trek route was closed on Thursday after a major landslide struck around 200 metres ahead of the Gaurikund gate, completely blocking the pedestrian path and forcing authorities to suspend the movement of pilgrims as a precautionary measure, officials said. Officials said mud, boulders and an uprooted tree blocked the route, prompting the district administration to halt all pilgrim movement on the Kedarnath footpath. Pilgrims were stopped at Sonprayag and will be allowed to proceed only after the route is declared safe. District disaster management officer Rudraprayag Nandan Singh Rajwar said rescue and relief teams, along with officials from the concerned departments, were rushed to the site immediately after information about the landslide was received. "Efforts to clear the debris and restore the route are being carried out on a war footing," Rajwar said, adding that continuous rainfall and intermittent stone and mudslides from the hillside were hampering restoration work. He appealed to devotees to remain patient and avoid proceeding towards Kedarnath without official permission. Authorities said the route would be reopened only after a thorough safety inspection. Sachin Panwar, assistant engineer, PWD Guptkashi, said the pedestrian route was blocked by mud, boulders and a fallen tree. "Two junior engineers along with PWD teams have been deployed to clear the debris, but intermittent rainfall is posing challenges. Telephone connectivity in the area has also been disrupted due to snapped lines," he said. Meanwhile, heavy rainfall continued to trigger landslides and road blockages across several districts of Uttarakhand. In Uttarkashi district, the District Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) said an additional 100 cusecs of water was released into the Bhagirathi River from 6.15 am on Thursday. htc...