A powerful windstorm with speeds reaching up to 114 km/h, accompanied by heavy rain, hailstorm, and thunder, wreaked havoc across the Jammu region this evening, throwing normal life completely out of gear. The widespread weather disturbance uprooted trees, toppled electric poles and towers, and led to a massive power outage across all 10 districts of Jammu division.
The storm caused significant infrastructural damage, plunging major areas including Jammu City, Samba, Kathua, Rajouri, Poonch, Reasi, Katra, Udhampur, Ramban, Doda, and Kishtwar into complete darkness. Traffic movement across multiple roads and highways was severely affected due to the falling of trees, electric poles, and debris.
A portion of the Civil Secretariat wall in Jammu collapsed, damaging several vehicles and two-wheelers. Near Bahu Fort, a cell tower fell, crushing two bikes and damaging a residential structure. Fortunately, no casualties or injuries were reported.
In various parts of Jammu City, roads were blocked by uprooted trees. A massive tree fell near the Reserve Bank of India on Railway Road, while multiple trees fell across the Green Belt area in Gandhinagar, forcing authorities to divert traffic. Similar disruptions were reported on major highways including Jammu-Akhnoor, Jammu-R S Pura, Talab Tillo, and Jammu-Nagrota roads.
Power Crisis Across the Region
Chief Engineer of JPDCL, K.K. Thappa, confirmed extensive damage to the power infrastructure. High-tension power lines of 220, 33, and 11 KV were affected, disrupting supply from key stations including Salal, Gladini, Burn, and Kishanpur. Thappa said teams are working around the clock to restore power, and partial restoration in Jammu City could be expected by midnight, with broader restoration efforts ongoing into today .
“It’s a major challenge due to snapped cables, fallen towers, and broken transformers,” Thappa added. Full assessment of the damage is expected by today morning.
Meteorological Department Issues Alerts
Dr. Mukhtar Ahmed, Director of the Meteorological Department in Srinagar, stated that the highest wind speed was recorded at 114 km/h in Chatha and Satwari areas of Jammu South. Other areas such as Samba and Kathua experienced wind speeds of 102 km/h and 70 km/h respectively.
The weather department has issued a Yellow and Orange Alert for April 19, predicting continued rain, thunderstorms, and gusty winds. While April 18 is expected to see light to moderate rainfall, the major weather activity is forecasted for April 19. Cloudy conditions with chances of light rain are predicted for April 21, with generally dry weather expected between April 22 and 25.
Property Losses, Animal Casualties, and Traffic Woes
In Rajouri’s Fatehpur area, a lightning strike set fire to a carry-bag manufacturing unit, causing damage worth lakhs. Locals tried to douse the flames before fire services arrived to bring it under control.
Massive traffic jams were reported on the Jammu-Samba-Kathua and Jammu-Katra-Reasi highways due to fallen trees. A landslide near Gambhir Brahmana in Rajouri blocked the Jammu-Poonch highway for over two hours, leaving numerous vehicles stranded until GREF teams cleared the road using JCB machines.
In Ramban’s Gool and Reasi’s Chassana area, lightning and hailstorm led to the death of at least a dozen sheep and goats, along with three cattle in Damni. A house and a vehicle were also damaged due to a cloudburst.
Hailstorm-related damage was widely reported from Rajouri, Poonch, Reasi, Udhampur, and Ramban districts, particularly affecting fruit trees and mango plantations across the lower Shivalik region.
Srinagar Experiences Sharp Weather Shift
In Kashmir Valley, which recorded its hottest day just a day ago, heavy rains lashed Srinagar and surrounding areas this evening, bringing temperatures down. Several areas in north and central Kashmir experienced intense rainfall. A dramatic moment was captured on video when a boat capsized in Dal Lake, with passengers being rescued by locals — the footage quickly went viral on social media.
Travel Advisory Issued
The Met Department has urged people to follow local administration and traffic advisories closely. With ongoing risks of landslides, mudslides, and shooting stones, particularly on the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway, travelers are advised to plan their journeys with caution.
