MeT warns of two-day wet spell from today, advises farmers to halt work
Swift SDRF action saves tourists trapped in Dal Lake storm
Irfan Yattoo
Srinagar: A labourer was killed and four others injured after strong winds tore through a cold storage facility in south Kashmir’s Pulwama district on Thursday, flattening part of the structure and trapping workers under debris.
The incident occurred at the Lassipora industrial estate, where gusty winds blowing at high speed damaged the roof of a cold storage unit, officials said. Five workers were caught under the collapsed portion before being rescued and shifted to a nearby hospital.
One of them, identified as Sajad Ahmad Mir, 40, was declared dead on arrival, officials said. The four others sustained injuries and are undergoing treatment. Their condition is stated to be stable.
SDRF Spokesman told Kashmir Horizon that on Thursday aftermoon, amid sudden gusty winds that disrupted normal conditions, the SDRF Quick Response Team (QRT) stationed at Nehru Park responded swiftly to an emergency in Dal Lake, successfully rescuing several stranded tourists.
“The timely intervention by the rescue team ensured the safety of all individuals, preventing any potential mishap despite the challenging weather conditions,” he added.
The accident came amid a spell of turbulent weather across the Valley, with strong winds reported from several districts, triggering damage to rooftops, power lines, and other infrastructure.
Officials said Thursday’s winds were part of a broader weather disturbance affecting Jammu and Kashmir, with the Meteorological Department warning of continued instability over the next few days.
Director Meteorological Department Kashmir, Dr Mukhtar Ahmad said that on Thursday afternoon they had predicted rain and thundershowers at many places across north and central Kashmir, along with isolated activity in south Kashmir. We had indicated gusty winds with speeds reaching 40–50 kmph and hailstorms at a few locations, he said.
Dr Mukhtar said that during the next 24 hours, weather will remain generally cloudy conditions with intermittent spells of light rain and thundershowers from April 17 to 19, particularly during morning and late evening hours.
“Gusty winds and hailstorms are likely at isolated places during this period,” he said.
Authorities have issued an advisory asking farmers to suspend agricultural operations between April 17 and 19 in view of the expected weather activity.
Weather conditions are expected to improve from April 20, with a largely dry spell likely to continue till April 24. While April 25 and 26 are also expected to remain mostly dry, brief spells of rain or thundershowers accompanied by gusty winds may occur at isolated places in the afternoon.
