Baramulla battered; windstorm snaps power, water links

Baramulla, May 19: A powerful windstorm late Sunday caused extensive damage to property and orchards besides affecting the power and water supply across north Kashmirís Baramulla district on Monday.

Following the windstorm, essential services like power and water supply remained affected throughout the day.

The officials of the Power Development Department (PDD) Baramulla confirmed the damage to its assets and said that field staff were working round-the-clock to restore the power supply.

"The 33 kv line as well as 11 kv were badly hit by the windstorm, which caused the power supply disruption. We have fixed the issue now and are hopeful to restore the supply soon,î Superintendent Engineer PDD Baramulla, Dalvinder Singh told Greater Kashmir.

He said that the windstorm damaged all the 18 33-kv lines.

Singh said the field staff in a quick response repaired the severely damaged lines after roofs of houses or shopping complexes fell on the power lines.

The high-intensity gusty winds wreaked havoc in most parts of the district.

The rooftops of dozens of structures were damaged in the windstorm.

The storm also caused damage to the doors and windows of some Masjids besides uprooting scores of trees.

After the windstorm, the rooftop of several shopping complexes and shops in the main market were lying on the ground in Baramulla town while several residential houses in old town and civil lines areas including Khawaja Bagh, Delina, and Kanispora suffered damage.

Scores of trees along the Dewan Bagh-Kant Bagh road were uprooted due to the fast wind.

The locals urged the Baramulla district administration that the trees along this stretch need to be axed as it often causes damage in such situations.

ìThese trees have turned old and whenever fast winds sweep the area, they fall and cause damage,î Imtiyaz Ahmad of Dewanbagh, Baramulla, said.

Reports of damage to shops, residential houses, and uprooting of trees were also reported from Uri, Rafiabad, Sopore, Boniyar, Sangrama, Wagoora, Kreeri, and other parts of the district.

Confirming the damage to several structures across the district, an official here said that the field staff was gathering information regarding the magnitude of the damage.

ìWe will soon compile the details regarding the overall damage,î he said.