Gusty winds disrupt normal life in Srinagar

Srinagar, June 12: Gusty winds followed by rains disrupted normal life in the summer capital on Wednesday evening.

Windstorm uprooted trees and damaged tin structures creating panic in various areas.

Several people had a narrow escape due to uprooting of trees on the main road at Batwara. Vehicular movement was disrupted for a long time on the busy road.

“A huge tree fell amid winds at Batwara creating panic among commuters. Fortunately, there was no report of any loss of life or damage to vehicles. However, traffic was disrupted,” said Arshid Ahmad, a commuter.

Meanwhile, strong winds damaged several shikaras in Dal Lake. Videos surfaced on social media showing damaged shikaras filled with water while the boatmen were seen taking out belongings.

“It was hard to keep boatmen struggling to keep the shikaras afloat amid the windstorm. However, several shikaras were damaged while reaching the shore,” said a local.

Meanwhile, authorities pressed boats to bring various tourists to safer places in Dal Lake. Various videos surfaced on social media that showed tourists being rescued to safety by authorities. Many houseboat owners in Jhelum were seen anchoring their houseboats with ropes to ensure safety. In addition to this, the power supply was also disrupted in various areas of Srinagar.

“Following these winds, the power supply in our area was snapped. There was also heavy rainfall, and due to strong winds, various tin structures and tin fences were toppled in our area,” said Shahid Ahmad, a local from Hazratbal.