Dehradun, Jul 19 (IANS): An alert for heavy rains has been sounded in Uttarakhand for the next 36 hours, an official said on Thursday.

Following the Regional Met Office's warning of very heavy rains in several districts, the state government alerted the State Disaster Management teams to be on stand-by while the people living on the river banks have been asked to shift to safer places.

Rivers like Ganga, Alaknanda, Mandakini and many other rain-fed rivers are also in spate but are flowing below the danger mark, the official told IANS.

The annual Chaar Dhaam pilgrimage is also underway, despite brief interruptions due to bad weather, heavy downpour and landslides.

The officials said the traffic on the Yamunotri highway has been disrupted at Daburkot due to a landslide. A canal of the Jakhadi Banala power project near the Badrinath highway has been partially damaged.

Traffic on the busy Gangotri highway was briefly halted due to a landslide near Helgugaad. Heavy rains have been also reported from Chamoli district in the last 24 hours.