Thousands of vehicles stranded on Jammu-Srinagar national highway amid landslides [details]

As the Jammu-Srinagar national highway remained blocked for the third successive day, thousands of vehicles are stranded at different places between the Udhampur-Banihal belt of this landslide-prone highway.

Hundreds of passengers, including tourists, are struck up at various locations because no vehicle is allowed to ply the highway due to blockades at several places. 

Reports said that landslides, and shooting stones, caused extensive damage to the Jammu-Srinagar national highway between Udhampur and Banihal. He said that highway is reportedly blocked in at-least 30 spots but extensive damage is caused between Udhampur-Chenani track and Nashri- Ramsu.

District administration Ramban has posted videos on social media, which reflect that loaded trucks are trapped in mud near Nashri.

At Samroli, just 20 kilometres from Udhampur town, about 150 metres of the road is washed away due to a massive flood in river Tawi and landslides. A heavy machine was also flown down into the river. Due to the closure of the highway, thousands of vehicles have been stranded.

The landslide struck the 270-km highway, the only all-weather road linking Kashmir with the rest of the country.

People asked not to undertake any journey on Jammu-Srinagar national highway

Jammu and Kashmir Traffic Police made it clear that movement of all types of vehicles shall remain suspended on Jammu-Srinagar national highway in view of the major landslide near Dewal bridge which has damaged 100 to 125 meters of both tubes of national highway road.

The national highway is also blocked at Cafeteria Morh, Tunnel T2, and Battery Chashma where restoration work is still going on and will continue tomorrow also.

"Likewise, vehicular movement from Jammu to Chenani, Patnitop, Doda, Ramban, Gool, Banihal, Srinagar, and vice-versa shall also remain suspended because of the closure of the national highway near Dewal bridge", the Traffic Police informed.

"People are requested not to undertake any journey on Jammu-Srinagar national highway and other mentioned routes till clearance work is completed", Traffice Police stated in its advisory.

 No major rainfall is expected till June 30

The weatherman on Thursday predicted that there is no major rainfall activity expected in Jammu and Kashmir till the end of this month.

A meteorological department predicted mainly dry weather is expected over the plains of Jammu and Kashmir with very light rain or thundershowers at one or two places over the higher reaches in the next 24 hours.

Fair to partly cloudy weather becoming cloudy towards late afternoon or evening was expected. A brief spell of light to moderate rain/thunderstorm can't be ruled out in isolated places. Overall, there is no forecast of any major rainfall activity till ending June.