Lucknow, May 19: Over 10,000 pilgrims and tourists are feared stranded near Vishnuprayag in Uttarakhand after rain-triggered landslides this afternoon.

The local administration said huge boulders rolled down Hathi Parvat onto the Joshimath-Badrinath highway, bringing traffic to a halt.

A large number of pilgrims throng Uttarakhand in summer for the Chardham Yatra - a holy tour of Kedarnath, Badrinath, Yamunotri and Gangotri.

Officials said it would take more than 24 hours to clear the road, following which those going to Badrinath and returning can resume their journey. Madan Kaushik, an Uttarakhand government spokesperson, said 20 metres of road had been damaged.

The pilgrims' buses have been stopped at Joshimath, Pipalkothi and Chamoli. They have been taken to schools and government buildings for the night. Those stranded between Hathi Parvat and Badrinath have been taken to the Govindghat gurdwara.

Tripti Bist, the superintendent of police of Chamoli district, told reporters that Border Roads Organisation personnel had reached the spot. "BRO and police teams are clearing the road," she said.

Rama Subramanian, the BRO commander, said big boulders fell on the highway along with debris.

"We have deployed huge machines to clear the road. But it will take time. We need to make a temporary bypass for over 150 vehicles stranded on both sides of the blockade," Subramanian said.