10-year-old girl killed as tree falls amid windstorm in Shopian
On Sunday night, the Valley witnessed gusty winds and thundershowers. Many districts received brief but intense showers
A 10-year-old girl was killed and her father injured as a tree fell during a windstorm in south Kashmir’s Shopian district, officials said on Monday, and added that there was widespread damage to orchards, residential and commercial structures, and electrical and communication networks due to overnight rains and storm across the Valley.
The deceased, Sobia Reyaz from Rajouri district, dies at Gadarchowgan Keller, they said.
“We referred the injured to a hospital. They are from nomadic population,” said Keller block medical officer Rafiq Ahmad. A police officer said that they have sent a team to the area where the girl died.
On Sunday night, the Valley witnessed gusty winds and thundershowers. Many districts received brief but intense showers.
Trees were uprooted, rooftops flew away, mobile towers collapsed and electricity wires tripped due to the gusty winds at multiple places, causing power outages across the Valley. There was no power supply in a majority of the areas at night, and prolonged outages were reported in multiple districts during the day.
Apni Party president Altaf Bukhari said that there was extensive devastation caused by the windstorm at various places, including Budgam, Pulwama, Tangmarg, Baramulla, Uri, Kupwara, Ganderbal, Anantnag, Bandipora and Sumbal Sonawari.
“Reports pouring in from across the Valley indicate that extensive damage has been caused to orchards, houses and vehicles due to the strong winds,” he said, urging the administration to act swiftly in providing compensation to the affected.
Srinagar deputy commissioner Bilal Mohi-Ud Din Bhat, accompanied by other officials, conducted an inspection of the power grid station at Bemina on Monday to assess the situation.
“As of now, 93% of power feeders have been restored. Complete restoration of power supply across Srinagar will be achieved by late afternoon,” a spokesperson of the administration said.
The officials later visited various city areas to assess the damage
The India Meteorological Department’s (IMD) Srinagar centre said there was possibility of intermittent light rain and thundershowers with gusty winds at many places during the day. It added that from Tuesday onwards, weather will be generally hot and dry, with possibility of brief spells of rain at isolated places.
“From May 24 to 27, the weather will be generally cloudy with a possibility of brief spells of rain and thunderstorms,” an IMD update said.
