Wednesday, August 6, 2025

Jammu Ravaged by Windstorm, Rain & Hail: Power Supply Snaps, Roads Blocked Across Region

spot_img

A devastating windstorm accompanied by torrential rain and hail lashed Jammu region on Wednesday evening, plunging the entire division into darkness and chaos. With wind speeds touching 114 km/h, the storm uprooted hundreds of trees, electric poles, and mobile towers, crippling infrastructure and disrupting daily life across all 10 districts.

🚨 Power Wipeout Across Region
Chief Engineer, JPDCL, K.K. Thappa confirmed that the storm caused “massive damage” to power infrastructure. Entire Jammu city and surrounding districts including Samba, Kathua, Udhampur, Poonch, Rajouri, Reasi, Katra, Ramban, Doda and Kishtwar were left without electricity.

“Cables are broken, poles and towers have collapsed. Our teams are working tirelessly, but complete restoration may take over 24 hours,” Thappa said.

Key Transmission Lines Affected:

  • 220kV, 33kV, and 11kV lines disrupted
  • Supply from Salal Power Station to several key substations snapped
  • Partial restoration expected in Jammu City by midnight

🚧 Blockades & Chaos on Roads
The fury of nature brought traffic to a standstill in many areas:

  • A large tree fell near RBI Office, Railway Road, blocking major routes
  • Trees and electric poles brought down in Green Belt, Gandhi Nagar
  • Widespread disruption on Jammu-Akhnoor, RS Pura, Talab Tillo, and Nagrota roads
  • Major highways like Jammu-Samba-Kathua and Jammu-Katra-Reasi saw massive traffic jams

🏢 Infrastructure Damage:

  • Civil Secretariat wall collapsed, damaging parked vehicles
  • Cell tower collapse near Bahu Fort crushed two bikes and a house
  • Landslide on Jammu-Poonch highway at Gambhir Brahmana stranded commuters for over two hours

🔥 Lightning Sparks Fire, Kills Livestock
In Rajouri, a lightning strike set ablaze a carry bag factory owned by Abdul Wahid, causing property loss worth lakhs. Fire tenders rushed to contain the blaze.
In Gool (Ramban) and Mahore (Chassana), at least a dozen goats and three cattle were killed due to lightning and cloudburst.


🌦️ Meteorological Update:
According to Dr. Mukhtar Ahmed, Director of Meteorological Department, Srinagar:

“Wind speed touched 114 km/h in areas like Chatha and Satwari, 102 in Samba, 70 in Kathua, and 80 km/h in parts of Jammu city.”

Forecast:

  • April 18–19: Light to moderate rain, snow at higher altitudes
  • Thunderstorms with gusty winds expected from evening onwards
  • Yellow and Orange alerts issued for April 19
  • April 22–25: Mostly dry weather predicted

🍃 Agricultural Impact & Valley Weather
Reports of extensive damage to mango and fruit trees in Jammu, Samba, and Kathua have emerged. Meanwhile, Kashmir Valley experienced heavy rainfall following the hottest day of the season.
In Srinagar, boat capsizing incidents were reported in Dal Lake; video footage of the incident has gone viral.

🚨 Advisory:
The MeT Department and administration have urged travelers to avoid unnecessary movement on highways prone to landslides, shooting stones, and mudslides.


🗣️ Residents Speak:

“We’ve never seen winds this fierce. It felt like a cyclone. Everything turned dark in minutes,” said a resident of Gandhi Nagar.

The situation remains critical, with restoration efforts underway. Authorities have urged people to stay indoors, stay alert, and cooperate with emergency services.

Hot this week

Nubra, October 11, 2024: Sh Mukul Beniwal

IAS assumed charge of Sub-Divisional Magistrate of Nubra...

Iranian supreme leader praises missile attack on Israel, says Iran will do it again if necessary

Tehran, Oct 4:Iran’s supreme leader on Friday praised the...

Operation Chakra-III: A Crucial Step in the Battle Against Cybercrime

The recent arrest of 26 cybercriminals in India under...

Indian IT Hiring in 2025 Set to Rebound, with AI and Data Science Roles Leading the Job Market

New Delhi, Dec 24  – The Indian IT hiring...

AP TET 2024: Answer Key for Day 1 exam to be OUT today at aptet.apcfss.in; Check 5-steps to download here

P TET Answer Key 2024: The School Education Department,...

Lawyers Write to NHRC Chairperson over J&K Police Atrocities

11 lawyers from across India have petitioned Justice V....

JKPCC President Urges MEA to Evacuate J&K Students from Iran

Amid escalating tensions and the volatile security situation in...

CM Omar Abdullah Condemns Israeli Attack on Iran, Urges Global Response and Safety of Kashmiri Students

Chief Minister Omar Abdullah today strongly condemned Israel’s recent...

Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha Reviews Security Arrangements for Shri Amarnath Ji Yatra

Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha today chaired a high-level meeting...

265 Feared Dead in Air India AI171 Crash in Ahmedabad; Plane Slams into Medical Complex

A catastrophic air disaster unfolded on Thursday when Air...

Related Articles

Popular Categories