Power grid in Rajouri torn apart in triple-day tempest

Rajouri, Apr 20: Windstorms and lightning during the last three days inflicted massive damage on electricity infrastructure in Rajouri district of Pir Panjal region with hundreds of electricity poles getting uprooted due to strong winds.

The damage is expected to increase further as fresh windstorms hit the border district areas on Sunday evening.

The details of these fresh losses will only be available by Monday morning.

On Friday and Saturday, windstorms hit various areas of Rajouri district with fast-flowing winds badly impacting normal life.

In many places, trees got uprooted while roofs of several houses and other structures also received damage.

The electricity infrastructure is reportedly affected in many areas with damage to electricity poles as well as domestic transformers.

Executive Engineer (ExEN) Jammu Power Distribution Corporation Limited (JPDCL) in Rajouri Division, Muhammad Rashid said that around 350 to 400 electricity poles of both low tension as well as high tension transmission lines got uprooted in the district on Friday and Saturday as well as till Sunday afternoon.

He said that the main loss was suffered on Friday night.

“Our 25 to 30 Domestic Transformers (DTs) also got damaged due to lightning,” he said.

However, the officer said that fresh losses had occurred on Sunday as strong currents passed through the area in the evening hours.

“I will only be able to share the details of these fresh losses by Monday morning as the field staff is collecting the details of losses,” he said.