Highway machinery clearing road near Aliot damaged by landslide. — Photo by the writer

MURREE: Landslides caused recent rains have damaged roads and houses at the hill station.

Rain in March is not an unusual phenomenon but this year the amount of rainfall was so heavy that it caused widespread damages.

Due to a landslide a road near Aliot and Rawalpind-Murree-Kashmir (RMK) highway remained closed for traffic for three days.

The highway department managed to remove the debris from the road, opening it for traffic on Sunday, though there was no let-up in moving of earth.

The traffic to Kashmir was using Kohala Bridal Road during blockage of the RMK.

Heavy stones from the mountains in Upper Dewal bazaar disrupted smooth flow of traffic there as long queues of vehicles can be seen on Kohala road.

One side of the New Murree road at Ghehl-Surassi was completely damaged by a landslide which also razed the house of Akhlaq Satti.

The family members of Mr Satti somehow managed to save their lives but each and every household item including animals was destroyed under the debris.

Rocks from the mountain also damaged roads near Charra Pani, Sehrbagla, Lawrence college by-pass road and other areas.

Islamabad-Murree-Dual Carriageway commonly known as Murree Expressway has been destroyed by landslides at various places near Batnarra, Awaen, Khajut, and other places.

Published in Dawn, April 6th, 2015

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