1 killed, 4 injured due to high speed winds in J-K

High speed winds and hail storm created a havoc in Jammu and Kashmir on Wednesday, killing one person and causing damage to nine houses, officials said.

The Mughal road, which connects Rajouri-Poonch belt of Jammu region with south Kashmir's Shopian district, was also blocked due to landslides and uprooting trees.

The landslides occurred at Mansar Mohre, Poshana and Chattapani, they said.

Storms hit Jammu, Poonch, Udhampur, Rajouri, Doda, Kathua districts of Jammu region and also the Kashmir Valley on the intervening night of Tuesday and Wednesday, they said.

Yousef (37), a resident of Rajouri, was killed while two others were injured when a tree fell on their grass hut due to high speed winds, they said.

In upper reaches of Mahore, two persons sustained minor injuries due to storm, they said.

Nine houses were damaged due to storm in Poonch, Rajouri and Kathua districts.

The hail storm in Kathua, Rajouri, Poonch and Doda districts caused huge damage to horticulture sector, they said. It also damaged crops and vegetable in picturesque Bhadarwah Valley, which is the second largest producer of fruits in the state after Kashmir Valley, leaving farmers in distress over expected losses, they said.

The orchardists in Bhadarwah told PTI that the brief hailstorm caused damage to crops like maize, apple, apricot, pears, vegetables and other fruits.

Farmers have appealed to the state authorities to compensate them for the loss.