Watch: Big landslide in Rudraprayag blocks traffic on NH-109

Tons or rocks and mud can be seen hurtling down the side of a hill on to the National Highway (NH)- 109 at Rudraprayag in a video released on Thursday.

ANI reported that it happened near Tarsali village and that it led to a blockade on the National Highway (NH)- 109 at Rudraprayag, with long queues of vehicles being formed on both sides of the road.


There were no reports of casualties as people on the road were warned by the local people just before the debris fell.

District Magistrate (DM) Mayur Dixit said work was on to clear the debris an reopen the highway for traffic.

"All the passengers have been stopped at safe places. The work of opening the highway is being done by national Highways. Once the debris is cleared, the safe vehicular movement of passengers will be done," Dixit said.

Pilgrims going to Kedarnath were stopped at Rudraprayag, Tilwara, Agastyamuni and Guptkashi. Those coming back from Sonprayag have also been stopped at safe places at Sonprayag, Sitapur.

Pilgrim traffic in Uttarakahand, especially to the Char Dham - Yamunotri, Gangotri, Kedarnath, and Badrinath - picked up only last week after a near two-month lull due to the monsoon.

The number of pilgrims undertaking the Char Dham Yatra reduces in the monsoon season as roads get blocked after rains and landslides.

After a brisk start of the Yatra in May when a record number of pilgrims visited the temples daily, their number drastically reduced during July-August as frequent landslides triggered by rains kept the roads blocked for several weeks.

Now that rain-related disruptions along the routes have come down, people have begun to visit the temples again, officials have said.