The Jammu-Srinagar National Highway remained closed for the third day on Wednesday and the Met department warned of avalanche along the highway in the next two days, officials said.

"The continuous snowfall is making the highway clearance operation by the Border Road Organisation difficult," Deputy Inspector General (Traffic) Mehmood Niyaz said.

Niyaz said fresh snowfall and landslides occurred in Banihal, Panthal and Khooni areas. A record nine feet of snowfall was reported in Jawahir tunnel, while at Patnitop the snow was five-foot thick, he said.

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The Met department warned people living in Poonch, Rajouri, Doda and along the national highway of major avalanches, he said.

In some areas of Poonch and Doda, people were asked to remain indoors. A warning was also issued to the troops guarding the Line of Control [Images] in Rajouri-Poonch and Ladakh regions.

About 1,000 to 2,000 people were shifted from their vehicles on the highway to shelter sheds, government accommodations and private houses along the 300-km highway. About 600 to 700 vehicles were still stranded on the highway, Niyaz added.

"Although we had cleared the stretch between Patnitop and Ramban on Tuesday, fresh landslides have made the task all the more difficult," said Niyaz, in charge of the highway clearance operation.