Snowfall in Kedarnath and in a four-km area ahead of it hampered the yatra to the temple on Sunday.
“There is around 5 to 6 inches of fresh snowfall in the Kedarnath area,” said Rudraprayag District Magistrate Raghav Langer. “We have temporarily called off the yatra till the evening of May 12 as a safety precaution. On May 13, we will decide whether we should allow the yatra to proceed.”
The pilgrims will not be allowed to move beyond Sonprayag till Monday evening.
Mr. Langer said 570 pilgrims were in the Kedarnath Valley when the decision to call off the yatra was taken on Sunday morning. Most of them were returning from the temple.
The authorities have asked the pilgrims to stay at the nearest halting points.
By Sunday evening only eight pilgrims remained in Kedarnath, he said.
In the next two days, there is a possibility of snowfall at higher reaches like Kedarnath.
