The Jammu-Srinagar national highway remained shut for the second consecutive day on Friday due to multiple landslides in Ramban district, officials said, according to PTI. More than 3,000 vehicles are stranded.
Landslides hit over a dozen areas in the Banihal-Ramban stretch, including Trishul Morh, Moon Passi, Kelamoore, Digdool, Monkey Morh, Battery Cheshma, Chanderko, Ramsoo, Chanderko, Sherbibi, Maroog and Pantiyal. These places also witnessed shooting stones triggered by heavy rainfall, Deputy Superintendent of Police, (Highway Ramban), Ajay Anand said, adding that 150 stranded vehicles could pass earlier but fresh landslides blocked the road again.
National Highway Senior Superintendent of Police JS Johar said the landslides occurred at 5.15 pm on Thursday, blocking the 270-km highway, which links Kashmir to the rest of the country, The Hindustan Times reported.
“It is a massive landslide,” Johan told the newspaper. “Around 200-metre stretch has been blocked, but 50 to 60% of it has been cleared. We hope that the remaining portion will be cleared by tonight [Friday].”
The highway was closed off last week too because of landslides triggered by heavy rainfall in the Ramban district.
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