Kashmir windstorm eases out, leaves behind trail of destruction : India

Srinagar, March 21 - An unprecedented windstorm which left two people dead and over a dozen injured in the Kashmir Valley finally eased out after 24 hours Wednesday.

People across the Valley heaved a sigh of relief Wednesday as the fierce windstorm finally eased out, leaving behind a trail of destruction here.

Two persons died, while more than 9,000 houses, shops, school buildings, government offices and other structures were damaged in the windstorm, which reached speeds of over 60 kmph at many places.

The death toll in the windstorm has risen to two as another person identified as Muhammad Akram Rigoo, 65, resident of Khrew - died in the hospital where he had been admitted yesterday - after being injured in a roof collapse, Aamir Ali, officer on special duty at the divisional headquarters told IANS.

He added: We have confirmed reports of 17 injured persons till today - morning, but this is feared to rise as assessment teams are moving out today headed by district officials to different areas in Srinagar city and elsewhere.

Elders say they have never experienced anything like this ever before.

I have not seen the like of this ever before in my life. This is surely a sign of 'Qayamat' - being round the corner. Skeptics wonder how the World can ever come to an end. Another day of such rattling winds and our World would sure have ended, said Muhammad Jamal Khan, 97, a resident of north Kashmir Ganderbal district, where 50-year-old Muhammad Maqbool Magray was killed when a Chinar tree crushed him in Kachnambal village.

Thousands of Poplar, Chinar and Willow trees were uprooted across the Valley, the maximum such damage occurred in north Kashmir Baramulla and south Kashmir Anantnag districts.

Inter district road connectivity was badly affected because of uprooted trees.

Traffic on the Srinagar-Muzaffarabad road is being restored Wednesday as teams of workers have been moved out to remove the uprooted trees from the highway.

Entire electric distribution system in the Valley has been haywire since Monday evening as the windstorm uprooted electric poles, damaging transmission lines and transformers at hundreds of places.

Restoration work is going on everywhere. As the windstorm has eased out, we should be able to restore most of our distribution systems today -. All essential services are getting uninterrupted electric supply in Srinagar city. People are requested to bear with us as all our man power is deployed on the restoration job, Muhammad Muzzaffar Mattu, chief engineer electric maintenance - told IANS.

People are picking up bits and pieces of shattered rooftops, scrambled rooftop sheets, brick and mortar to restore order in their lives.

Life must go on, but one thing is universal, we all exist at the mercy of nature, said Sheikh Abdul Rehman, 85, a resident of Ganderbal town.