SRINAGAR, Indian-controlled Kashmir, Oct. 23 -- Hours ahead of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to India- controlled Kashmir, border guards of India and Pakistan Thursday fired on each other's posts along the international border (IB) in Kashmir for second straight day, officials said.

The exchange of fire between two sides was reported from IB in Jammu, Kathua and Samba districts.

Indian officials said Pakistan resorted to firing using small and automatic weapons at 8:30 a.m. (local time) on border outposts of Border Security Force (BSF) in Jammu, Kathua and Samba.

The firing, according to officials, continued for several hours.

Indian side also retaliated and the exchange was going on until last reports came in.

"Pakistan yet again violated cease-fire today along the IB at Hiranagar, Ramgarh and Arnia," India's official broadcaster All India Radio (AIR) said. "In these areas, firing was continuing intermittently when reports last came in."

However, no loss of life or damage to property was reported on Indian side, the broadcaster reported.

On Tuesday, Indian Defense Minister Arun Jaitley threatened Islamabad with severe reaction if it continues with violating cease-fire.

Since the beginning of this month, deadly skirmishes have taken place between Indian and Pakistani troops posted on the 720 km- long Line of Control (LoC) and 198 km IB in Kashmir. The two sides have suffered 21 casualties (nine on Indian side and 12 on Pakistani side ) during the stand-off.

A government spokesman said over 28,000 people living close to IB in Indian-controlled Kashmir have migrated to safer places in the wake of the heavy firing.

LoC is a de facto border that divides Kashmir into India and Pakistan controlled parts. The LoC is guarded by army on both sides, while IB is guarded by BSF on Indian side and Pakistan Rangers on the other side.

Last week, the Director General Military Operations (DGMOs) of the two countries held talks over the hotline. However, the confrontation seems to be intensifying.

New Delhi and Islamabad have an institutional weekly telephone hotline dialogue between their DGMOs to keep things under check on LoC and border.

Both New Delhi and Islamabad accuse each other of resorting to unprovoked firings and violating cease-fire agreements. And both sides maintain that their troops gave befitting replies to the other side.

Kashmir, the Himalayan region divided between India and Pakistan is claimed by both in full. Since their independence from Britain, the two countries have fought three wars, two exclusively over Kashmir.

The troops of India and Pakistan intermittently exchange fire on LoC and IB, despite an agreement in 2003 to observe cease-fire. Though some violations have been reported on both sides, the cease- fire however remains in effect.