Winds blew like hell, trees fell, windows collapsed, roof-tops flew in the air and some people lost their lives. That is how May 18 evening was for Kashmir. Recovering slightly from Pahalgam terrorist attack and the India-Pakistan armed hostility in the aftermath of the attack, the Valley was dreaming for a breather but nature had its own designs. On Sunday evening gusty winds hit Kashmir, north, south and centre, uprooting trees, destroying homes and hearths, demolishing electric power infrastructure and leaving people wondering is there a answer to natural calamities in the wake of nature’s furry.
A powerful windstorm swept across the Kashmir Valley late Sunday night, leaving a trail of destruction, widespread power outages, and at least two deaths. Nearly every district in the Valley experienced damage from the storm. The winds uprooted trees, toppled electric poles, blew away the rooftops of dozens of homes and mosques. Massive damage was reported to the apple orchards and nurseries across Budgam, Pulwama, Tangmarg, Baramulla and in the Karewa belt of Pulwama. The most tragic incident was reported from South Kashmir’s Shopian district, where a father and daughter lost their lives after a massive tree fell on them outside their residence in Gadarchowgan Keller.
It was nature’s furry. Government could have done nothing to stop it. But once the disaster has happened, it is the responsibility of the UT administration to take a note and act. Governments are here to secure their people. We are living in a welfare state where the government is to ensure security of its citizens. If people have lost lives, their properties have been destroyed, the UT government has to come forward to help them, assist them and support them in such a way that that they stand on their feet again.
Power infrastructure also took a major hit. The storm disrupted electricity supply in dozens of areas, especially in Kupwara, Ganderbal, Anantnag, and Bandipora. According to the Kashmir Power Development Corporation Limited (KPDCL), several distribution transformers were damaged while dozens of transmission lines snapped under pressure from falling trees and debris. Water supply in many areas was also affected after the winds damaged pumping stations and lifted tin sheds of filtration plants.
Though the Power Development Department (PDD) Monday said that it has restored over 90 percent of electricity and is likely to restore the power fully by late Monday evening, the storm has done devasting damage to the impacted areas, It is need of the hour that the UT administration announces damage assessment committees and get reports from these in a time bound manner. The impacted people need to be helped and helped soon and that is what governments are meant to be for.
