2 die of lightning; rain, hailstorm lash parts of J&K

Rain showers bring relief from scorching heat in Jammu on Monday evening. -Excelsior/Rakesh
Rain showers bring relief from scorching heat in Jammu on Monday evening. -Excelsior/Rakesh

Jammu’s temperature drops
Gopal Sharma
JAMMU, June 17: While two persons were killed in lightning, incessant rain and hailstorm lashed Srinagar and other parts of Kashmir valley besides Jammu areas, resulting in damage to fruit and vegetables crops.
A heavy downpour in the winter capital city of Jammu this evening brought great relief to the people from scorching hot weather conditions. The rain has been reported from Katra, Reasi, Udhampur, Kathua and many other parts of Jammu region, providing a great sigh of relief to the people from heat wave. Jammu’s temperature which crossed 40 degrees on Sunday and Monday, showed about 6 degrees fall this evening.
Reports said two persons including a 18-year-old girl were killed due to lightning in Bandipora and Ganderbal areas of Kashmir today.
Fatima Bano (18) , resident of Najan village of Sumbal in Bandipora, died when she was struck by lightning outside her house, a police spokesman said.
One Mohd Yousuf Mir, resident of Bakura in Ganderbal was also struck by lightning while he was working in fields. He died on the spot.
A weather warning was issued for Tuesday and Wednesday in the Valley, which would experience isolated thundershowers and hailstorm with gusty winds with a speed of 30 to 40 km per hour.
A MeT department spokesperson told Excelsior that the weather will remain wet due to fresh Western Disturbance (WD) during the next four days.
“The maximum temperature is expected to dip below normal due to rain and overcast conditions in the Valley,” he added.
The summer capital, Srinagar, particularly civil line area and uptown remained affected due to strong winds, followed by hailstorm and heavy rain for about half-an-hour. Opening fields, gardens and roads turned white in areas of Srinagar, where the temperature witnessed dip due to hailstorm and incessant rain. Majority of the roads were waterlogged in the city, resulting in difficulties for the pedestrian to move on the roads.
People alleged that vegetables in kitchen gardens and city outskirts, particularly in Central Kashmir, were damaged due to the hailstorm.
Fruit and vegetable crops were also damaged in several areas in the region due to hailstorm and heavy rain today evening.

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