Winter in Tajikistan is not only about electricity cut-offs but also about natural disasters which cause damages, destructions, and deaths. It was reported by the leading information agencies, including Reuters. An avalanche which came from the mountains down to the main road connecting Dushanbe and Khujand, killed at least sixteen people last night.

According to the spokesman, the accident occurred on a mountain road 70 km north of Dushanbe. The first large avalanche blocked the road, forcing some vehicles to stop, and the second avalanche crashed on them.

It was not the first avalanche on this road. As Asia Plus repots (rus), three days ago there was an avalanche in this area which trapped at least 60 cars but no one got hurt. Yesterday the snow was bulldozed and the traffic was restored.

BBC reports that according to the local police ‘one of the drivers managed to make a phone call from his mobile but after that all communication was lost’.