Dushanbe-Khujand highway has been closed for traffic since Wednesday evening because of heavy snow and rockfalls caused by torrential rains.

“Torrential rains are going on in Zarafshon Valley, especially in the Istiqlol Tunnel area, and several mudslides and a rockfall were reported in the area.  Therefore, the highway remains closed for traffic” Daler Merganov, a spokesman for the Branch of Innovative Road Solutions (IRS) in Tajikistan, which operates the toll on the Dushanbe-Chanak highway, told Asia-Plus Thursday afternoon.  

Torrential rain on April 24 reportedly caused a series of mudslides and rockfalls that blocked the highway in several places.

The work on clearing the highway of slurry and stones is under way and it will reopen for traffic in the near future, but the risk of further mudslides and rockfalls remains high, Merganov added.      

As it had been reported earlier, one person was killed by rockfall in Ayni district (Sughd province) on April 24.  A 40-year-old passenger of Toyota Prado died after a boulder fell onto the car from mountain on the 155th kilometer of the Dushanbe-Khujand highway.