Heavy snowfalls on February 14-15 caused a series of avalanches in Tajikistan.

The Committee on Emergency Situations and Civil Defense (CES) under the Government of Tajikistan says two avalanches caused by heavy snowfalls today hit the 69th kilometer of the Dushanbe-Khujand highway in the Varzob district.

Two cars with seven people onboard were reportedly buried by the avalanche.  The CES rescuers came to the avalanche site in time and saved those people.

Heavy snowfalls also hit the highway connecting Dushanbe and Khorog, the capital of the Gorno Badakhshan Autonomous Region (GBAO), blocking it in some places.

There is still risk of further avalanches in the regions and the CS advises people not to travel unnecessarily to mountain areas.