Extreme Weather: AJK landslides leave people stranded

300km-long Jammu-Srinagar National Highway reopens after two major avalanches and five landslides were cleared.

MIRPUR (AJK):

Both Pakistan and India are in the grip of an extreme cold wave. Temperatures dipped on both sides of the Line of Control (LoC) in the disputed Kashmir state on Wednesday bringing back a chill after three days of respite from the extreme weather.

In Azad Kashmir (AJK), landslides in various areas had left people stranded. District authorities confirmed when contacted by The Express Tribune Wednesday night.

At the same time the 300km-long Jammu-Srinagar National Highway, which was closed for the last two days, reopened on Wednesday after two major avalanches and five landslides were cleared.

The highway is the only surface link with the Kashmir Valley.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 19^th, 2012.