A powerful overnight wind storm caused significant damage across Kashmir, leading to power cuts and the cancellation of 19 flights from Srinagar airport.
The storm, which began last night and continued until this evening, uprooted trees, damaged boundary walls, and tore off roofs from several houses. Srinagar and north Kashmir were the worst-affected areas.
Strong winds caused destruction multiple districts, including Srinagar, Ganderbal, and Budgam.
In Srinagar city, a tree fell on a vehicle near the Tourist Reception Centre (TRC), completely wrecking it. In other parts of Kashmir, the storm damaged rooftops and outdoor structures.
Due to the rough weather, several people, including tourists, had to be rescued from Dal Lake.
The storm also brought down power lines, leading to outages in many areas of Srinagar.
An official from the Power Development Department (PDD), however, managed to restore electricity supply to most of the affected areas.
Er Aaquib S W Deva, Chief Engineer, Kashmir Power Distribution Corporation Limited (KPDCL), said, “Sudden windstorm has caused damage to power lines due to fallen trees and debris, affecting supply in several areas.”
At Srinagar airport, at least 19 flights were cancelled due to the stormy weather. An airport official reported that between 6.30 am and 7.40 pm, 15 aircraft arrived and 14 left.
"Wind speeds reached 17 knots, with gusts of up to 27 knots, making smooth flight operations difficult and causing delays and inconvenience for passengers," the official stated.
Dr Mukhtar Ahmad, Director of the Meteorological Department, said the weather is expected to remain mostly dry until April 6.
Due to the strong gale, thin vehicular traffic was witnessed on the roads, and people preferred to stay indoors to avoid any harm.