Five fresh landslides triggered by heavy rain and snowfall in Ramban district of Jammu and Kashmir on Thursday shut down the Jammu-Srinagar highway for the second day.

Over 600 vehicles are stranded at several places on the highway in Ramban, Udhampur and Jammu districts.

Rains lashed the strategic 270-km highway overnight at Khuni Nallah, Panthiyal, Digdole, Battery Cheshma and Maroog, blocking the only all-weather road linking Kashmir with the rest of the country, officials said. There was also snowfall in the Jawahar Tunnel area.

The officials said road clearance operation was immediately launched but the heavy downpour is making the task of clearance difficult. No traffic has been allowed to move from Nagrota area of Jammu towards the Kashmir Valley.

The lurking threat of more landslides has created fear among the hundreds of passengers travelling on the highway.

Banihal town also experienced light snowfall, while heavy rains lashed other parts of the highway during the night, the officials said.

Moghal Road connecting the Valley’s Shopian district with Jammu's Poonch district has been closed for past one month due to heavy snowfall.

In Jammu city, there has been heavy rain since yesterday, while the mountainous areas of Doda, Kishtwar, Ramban, Kathua, Poonch and Reasi districts experienced light snowfall.