Windstorm claims girl’s life;  horticulture losses, building damage caused across Kashmir

By: Jahangie Ganaie, Raja Syed Rather, Waris Fayaz

Srinagar: A girl died while three others were wounded after a tree fell on a temporary tent in Kellar area of Shopian district following strong gusty winds late Sunday night, which caused huge damage to public properties.

The strong winds damaged the rooftops of several houses, shops, masjids as well as shrines across the valley. Extensive damage has been reported to the apple farms in south Kashmir’s Pulwama district.

A tree fell on a temporary tent in the Kellar area of Shopian, resulting in the on-spot death of a girl, Sobiya Riyaz, daughter of Muhammad Riyaz.

Three others, who sustained injuries in the incident, have been identified as Muhammad Riyaz, Rubeena and Saima Kousar. They belong to Rajouri and were presently putting up in a tent in Gadder forests.

Reports of damage have been received from Pulwama district, where High-Density Apple farm suffered massive damage.

A local farmer said nearly 600 trees were damaged in the gusty winds, causing extensive losses to them. He appealed to the government to look into the matter.

Moreover, several houses got partially damaged in south Kashmir areas in the gusty winds.

In north Kashmir’s Baramulla district, several structures, the rooftops of houses wand a Dar-ul-Uloom were damaged. Several trees were uprooted during the gusty winds in the district.

Similar reports of damage were reported from Soproe areas. Besides, over half a dozen sheep belonging to a nomad family were killed while nine others were injured in Peerina forests in Baramulla.

The incident, as per the officials, occurred at around 10:30 pm after trees fell on the livestock in the forests.

Reports of damage were also reported from the Tangmarg area where multiple shops and houses suffered damage last night.

The rooftop of a shrine in Wakura area in Ganderbal was damaged while several houses in Kangan sub-division suffered damage during the strong gusty winds. Massive damage has been reported from Gagangarhama village as well. The trees got uprooted at multiple places, including Peerpora Ganderbal, causing panic among the masses.

In Srinagar, the windowpanes of dozens of houses were damaged in multiple areas while the rooftop of a Masjid in Gadood Bagh area was also damaged. —(KNO)