J-K Highway closed for second day, five fresh landslides hit highway

The Jammu-Srinagar Highway was closed for the second consecutive day Thursday amid five fresh landslides triggered by heavy rains and snowfall in Ramban district of Jammu and Kashmir.

Over 600 vehicles are stranded at several places on the highway in Ramban, Udhampur and Jammu districts.

There were fresh landslides triggered by rains, which struck the strategic 270-km highway overnight at Khuni Nallah, Panthiyal, Digdole, Battery Cheshma and Maroog, blocking the only all-weather road linking Kashmir with rest of the country, the officials said.  There was also snowfall in Jawahar Tunnel area, they said. 

Officials said road clearance operation was immediately launched but rains are making the task of clearance difficult.

No traffic has been allowed to move from Nagrota area of Jammu towards Kashmir Valley in view of the closure of the highway, they said.

The lurking threat of more landslides has created fear among the hundreds of passengers travelling on the highway these days.

Banihal town also experienced light snowfall, while heavy rains lashed other parts of the highway during the night, the officials said.

The Moghal road connecting Kashmir valley's Shopian district with Jammu region's Poonch district is closed for past one month due to heavy snowfall.

In Jammu city, there has been heavy rains since yesterday, while mountainous areas of Doda, Kishtwar, Ramban, Kathua, Poonch and Reasi districts experienced light snowfall.