A traffic department spokesperson said vehicular movement on the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway was stopped from both sides due to landslides, mudslides and shooting stones at multiple places between Nashri and Banihal.He said the rain was continuing along the highway and commuters were advised not to travel on the arterial road till the weather improved and the road cleared.The officials said hundreds of commuters were left stranded on the 250-kilometre highway, the only all-weather road linking Kashmir with the rest of the country, following its closure.A stretch of the road near Panthiyal was also swept away, the officials said and added all the stranded people were moved to safety.They said Chief Minister Omar Abdullah had convened a meeting later in the day to assess the situation.Union Minister Jitendra Singh appreciated the district administration headed by Deputy Commissioner Baseer-ul-Haq Chaudhary for prompt action in saving precious lives.”There was a heavy hailstorm, multiple landslides and fast winds throughout the night in the Ramban region, including the areas surrounding the Ramban town.The national highway stands blocked and unfortunately there have been three casualties and loss of property for a couple of families,” he said in a post on X.
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