Srinagar- Strong and gusty winds caused widespread damage across parts of north, south and central Kashmir on Thursday evening, with reports of rooftops being blown off houses, vehicles damaged and power infrastructure disrupted, officials and locals said.
A sudden spell of high-intensity winds damaged several residential structures in parts of north and central Kashmir, including the Tangmarg and Khag belts, where roofs were ripped off houses and boundary walls and portions of buildings collapsed under the force of the gusts.
Similar damage was reported from parts of Pulwama, Kulgam, Budgam, Baramulla and Srinagar districts. Officials said electric cables were torn apart in several areas, leading to power outages in affected localities.
The winds struck without prior warning, triggering panic among residents. Several families rushed out of their homes fearing further damage as debris was scattered across residential areas.
Preliminary reports indicated that no injuries were reported, though property damage was substantial in certain pockets. Locals said household belongings were damaged after roofs were torn off and walls gave way under pressure from the winds.
Meanwhile, the Meteorological Department issued an orange alert for several districts of Jammu and Kashmir for a brief period, warning of thundershowers, lightning and gusty winds with speeds of 50–60 kmph, accompanied by moderate rainfall.
An official said the strong winds also uprooted trees, damaged rooftops in several residential areas across the Kashmir Valley and parts of the Jammu region, and triggered forest fires at a few locations.
The MeT department said Srinagar and Jammu airports recorded gusty wind speeds of up to 83 kmph and 37 kmph, respectively, in association with a fresh western disturbance.
Independent weather forecaster Faizan Arif said the winds were not localised or temperature-driven but were linked to a dynamically strong western disturbance carrying intense wind fields within the system.
The forecaster said while gusty winds may ease in a few areas over the next few hours, many places are likely to continue experiencing strong winds till the early morning hours on Friday.
An official said police personnel were deployed on the ground to clear roads and assist residents after strong winds caused roofs of several houses, complexes and buildings to cave in at various places.
“Police teams from the concerned stations are ensuring smooth traffic movement and providing timely assistance to affected residents,” the official said.
In view of the prevailing inclement weather and adverse forecast, the Srinagar district administration advised people to refrain from venturing out unnecessarily and avoid movement on roads.
The public has been asked to contact the District Emergency Operation Centre Srinagar or the Police Control Room in case of any exigency and to strictly follow the advisory.
KPDCL Issues Advisory As 80% Power Supply Disrupted
Gusty winds that swept across the Kashmir Valley late Thursday evening disrupted electricity supply in more than 80 per cent of the region, officials said.
An official said that the power supply was severely affected due to high-intensity winds, forcing the department to curtail electricity as a safety measure. “Due to the gusty winds, we are supplying nearly 300 megawatts against a demand of around 1,900 megawatts,” the official said.
The Kashmir Power Distribution Corporation Limited (KPDCL) had earlier issued a weather advisory warning of possible temporary power disruptions across parts of Kashmir due to strong winds.
In a statement, KPDCL said electricity supply may be suspended intermittently to prevent accidents and damage to the distribution network during adverse weather conditions. The utility urged residents to remain cautious and avoid contact with loose or hanging electric wires, electric poles, transformers or fallen power lines. People were also advised to unplug electrical appliances during voltage fluctuations.
Officials said multiple 33 KV and 11 KV lines developed faults across the Valley due to the winds, while several feeders were deliberately tripped as a precautionary step. The 33 KV Shadimarg line was reported down after damage caused by a collapsed rooftop, while all 33 KV lines from the Lassipora and Shopian grid stations were under fault.
The official said all feeders were off in Shopian, and all 33 KV lines emanating from the Awantipora grid were affected. In Gulmarg, the Nihalpora–Gulmarg 33 KV line was tripped due to heavy winds in Tangmarg and adjoining areas.
Several other grid stations across north and central Kashmir also witnessed outages, resulting in shutdown of 11 KV feeders in multiple localities. However, officials said electricity supply to essential services was being maintained.
“KPDCL field teams are on high alert. Restoration work will be taken up on priority once weather conditions improve and it is safe to resume operations,” the official said.
The power utility appealed to consumers for patience and cooperation, stressing that precautionary shutdowns were being carried out strictly in the interest of public safety.
