Srinagar, June 11: A strong windstorm that swept across Kashmir on Friday evening left behind a trail of destruction in many parts of the valley and Chenab valley damaging rooftops and power transmission lines, and uprooting trees.
The damage to power transmission lines in south Kashmir’s Shopian plunged many houses into darkness.
Up north, a heavy hailstorm reportedly wreaked havoc on fruit bearing orchard trees and standing crops.
An official in Shopian said that strong winds this evening damaged various structures in Badrahama, Memender, Gahand, Zawoora and Nagisharan Bala areas.
At main market Shopian, the gusty winds blew away the sign boards of dozens of shops, the official said.
According to the official, the winds also spelt doom for transmission lines and electric poles in the area, plunging almost the entire district into darkness.
Tehsildar Shopian, Bilal Ahmad told Greater Kashmir that as per preliminary reports five structures were damaged due to the strong winds.
The district administration has set up a help line to register the damage caused due to the windstorm.
Following are the help line numbers:
1. Tehsildar Shopian/Hermain: 99061 13873
2. Tehsildar Keller: 7006599504
3. Tehsildar Zainapora: 7780802628
4. Tehsildar Keegam/Chitragam: 9622941113
5. Tehsildar Imam Sahib: 7006219902.
In neighbouring Pulwama district, the rooftop of a seemingly mega shopping complex was seen in a viral video blown away by the strong windstorm.
The windstorm also caused damage to at least two structures across the Jawahar Tunnel in Banihal and Ramsoo sub-divisions in J&K’s Ramban district even as it reported uprooted several trees in many areas.
In Ramsoo sub-division, a tree reportedly fell on the rooftop of Government Higher Secondary School Khrarwan Neel area.
A chicken shop located on the Srinagar-Jammu highway near Banihal was blown off by few minutes strong wind.
However, no injury or loss to human life was reported in the incidents.
Reports of falling of trees were reported from Rallu area of Banihal town and other far flung villages, but no major loss or injury was reported in the incidents.
In north Kashmir’s Haji Bal area, a heavy hailstorm accompanied by rains reportedly damaged orchard trees and standing crops.
In neighboring Kupwara district, the rooftop of the residential house belonging to one Mohammad Amin Lone of Kenal Tarathpora area was ripped off y the gusty windstorm.
(Gulzar Bhat in Shopian, Muhammad Taskeen in Banihal and Tarique Raheem in Kupwara contributed to this report.)