J&K: Omar declares windstorm as natural calamity

Jammu: The windstorm that ravaged parts of Jammu and Kashmir this week left three persons dead, 39 injured and affected over 16,000 structures, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Thursday said.

"The windstorm claimed 3 lives while 39 persons received injuries. The tornado damaged residential houses, non-residential structures, public service infrastructure including power distribution system, school buildings (numbering 16,790) in Jammu and Kashmir," Omar told Legislative Assembly.

"The government is declaring the recent windstorm which lashed the Valley and parts of Jammu during the intervening night of 19th and 20th March as a natural calamity," Omar said.

The necessary Government Order to this effect is being issued by the General Administration Department, Omar said adding the windstorm speed was of 40 knots and the cyclone crossing 35 knots constitutes natural calamity.

Members of Opposition parties alleged that the government was not able to take necessary steps to tackle the situation.

In all, 12,475 residential houses were damaged partially in Kashmir and Jammu provinces. Of these, partially damaged houses in Kashmir Valley account for 11,641 while it stood 834 in Jammu province. Totally damaged houses in Kashmir are 95 while in Jammu province the number is 36, he said.

Similarly, 4,074 non-residential buildings suffered minor damages in Kashmir and two such structures - one mosque and a temple in Jammu, Omar said.

No death was reported in Jammu province.

Out of the 98 school buildings damaged, 42 are in Kashmir while 56 are in Jammu province, he said.

In a statement made by him in the House before start of Question Hour, Omar said that a team of ministers comprising Minister for Revenue and Rehabilitation and Minister of State for Home, Nasir Aslam Wani have been deputed to visit affected areas in Poonch, Anantnag, Kupwara, Bandipora, Srinagar and other areas to review of the damages.

Omar said that he had called an emergency meeting in Srinagar on March 20 and visited various areas to take first hand account of the windstorm.

The Chief Minister said that the distribution of relief by the concerned Deputy Commissioners would start soon as the order for declaring the windstorm as natural calamity is issued.