MUZAFFARABAD: Recent heavy rains and snowfall caused one death and damaged private property in various parts of Azad Jammu and Kashmir, a disaster management official said on Sunday.

Director of Operations, Saeed Qureshi, at the State Disaster Management Authority (SDMA), said the death occurred in the Malot area of Bagh district on the night between Thursday and Friday.

He said the victim, who worked in Rawalpindi, had travelled to his home in Bagh but, after alighting from a public transport vehicle on the main road, was unable to find onward transport to his village. “The icy winds froze him to death,” Mr Qureshi said, adding that the body was found the following morning.

On property losses, he said a total of 29 houses were damaged in Neelum, Jhelum Valley and Bagh districts, of which 11 were completely destroyed and 18 partially damaged.

In addition, two shops, two livestock animals and a vehicle were damaged, while a guest house, a madrassa, a cattle shed and a marriage hall were also affected.

Due to heavy snowfall, several link roads were closed in different areas of Muzaffarabad, Neelum, Jhelum Valley, Bagh, Poonch, Sudhnoti and Haveli districts.

While roads had been restored at some places, caution was required while travelling due to slippery conditions, he said.

Mr Qureshi said that under the supervision of the SDMA, the Highways Department and district administrations had deployed heavy machinery to restore roads and were continuously monitoring the situation, adding that the remaining roads were expected to be reopened soon.

Published in Dawn, January 26th, 2026