Srinagar, Oct 8: A spell of heavy rain accompanied by gusty winds, thunder and lightning disrupted normal life across Srinagar on Thursday evening, ending a prolonged dry spell and catching residents, commuters and tourists off guard.
The sudden change in weather triggered brief panic in several areas as strong winds swept through the city, forcing pedestrians to seek shelter while vendors rushed to cover their stalls. Two-wheeler riders were seen taking shelter under flyovers, shopfronts and other covered spaces as rain intensified.
The impact of the strong winds was particularly visible in the Hazratbal and Harwan areas, where residents reported falling tree branches and movement of rooftops and other structures.
On Dal Lake, the strong winds created choppy waters, leaving Shikaras swaying and tourists stranded amid the sudden deterioration in weather. Officials said more than a dozen tourists were rescued after a Shikara got stranded near Nehru Park.
“Rescue teams from the SDRF and CRPF immediately launched an operation after receiving information about the incident and safely evacuated all the stranded tourists,” an official said, adding that all those rescued were safe and no injuries were reported.
The weather also caused damage in the Abi Guzar-Press Enclave area, where a large Chinar branch fell inside a multi-level parking facility, damaging a parked Hyundai i10.
“We suddenly heard a loud bang. When we came out, we saw a huge tree branch had fallen on the vehicle. Thankfully, nobody was standing there at that moment,” said a shopkeeper near Press Enclave.
Residents and shopkeepers later cleared the fallen branches from the parking area and adjoining road to restore movement.
Traffic moved slowly at several places as heavy rain reduced visibility and motorists drove cautiously. The sudden downpour also led to brief congestion on several roads as commuters sought shelter from the weather.
The rain provided some relief from the prolonged dry spell, even as the sudden weather change disrupted normal activity across the city.
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