DUSHANBE, March 19, 2012, Asia-Plus  -- The Gorno Badakhshan Autonomous Region (Gorno Badakhshan or GBAO) is cut off from other part of the country due heavy snowfalls and avalanches.

A source at the GBAO regional administration says the administrative center of the region, the city of Khorog, is currently cut off from the outer world as heavy snowfall on March 18 caused a series of avalanches that blocked in several places the main highways linking Khorog to Dushanbe and the Murgab district bordering Kyrgyzstan and China.

Roads linking Khorog to the Ishkashim district and the Roshtqala district are also closed for traffic due to recent snow-slides.

According to some source, several residential buildings and some other facilities were buried under snow in Gorno Badakhshan yesterday as a series of avalanches hit the region.  Rescue operations are under way, the source said.

GBAO governor Qodir Qosim is holding an extraordinary meeting today to discuss ways to mitigate effects of natural disasters.

Meanwhile, roads in Khorog itself have already been cleared of snow and all tractors and other special machines have been sent to clear snow from roads connecting Khorog with Dushanbe, Murgab, Ishkashim and Roshtqala.

It is to be noted that the forthcoming warmer temperatures will increase the risk of further avalanches in the country, where dozens of snow-slides have occurred over the past week.