DUSHANBE, February 15, 2010, Asia-Plus — Recent heavy snowfalls yesterday caused a series of avalanches that blocked the highway from Dushanbe to Khujand in the Maikhura area, some 70 kilometers north of Dushanbe, according to the Ministry of Transport and Communications (MoTC).
The Dushanbe-Khujand highway is currently closed for traffic as the risk of recurrence of avalanches remains high, the source at a MoTC said, noting that warmer temperatures that are expected within the next few days will increase the risk of further avalanches in the country even more.
“Several equipments have been sent to the avalanche site to clear the road of snow but bad weather conditions have impeded the road-clearing operations,” said the source, “People are being advised not to travel to mountain areas unnecessarily this week.”
