PHOTOS: Windstorm throws life in Kashmir out of gear

High velocity winds sweeping the Kashmir Valley since Monday evening caused widespread property damages triggering panic among the residents.

The windstorm damaged houses, uprooted trees and electric poles causing power breakdown in the entire Valley where the administration has sounded an alert.

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The unprecedented windstorm which the local meteorological says was due to 'low pressure system that developed over the Valley yesterday' will continue till Tuesday evening and forced the administration to shut educational institutions for the day for safety of the school going children.

The authorities said the actual damage caused by the storm overnight was being assessed.

Owners of the floating palaces, houseboats in Dal lake and in the Jhelum river spent a sleepless night as the waves triggered by the storm kept rocking their boats.

President of the houseboat owners association, Mohammad Azim Tuman, said several houseboats were damaged in the storm.

"We were awake the whole night guarding the mooring ropes for fear of it getting snapped and the houseboat going adrift in the river," said Mehraj-ud-Din a houseboat owner.

Several tourists were rescued by the authorities from the Dal lake on Tuesday morning. The storm has grounded shikara rides inside the lake.

Reports of rooftops of houses having been blown away by the storm are pouring in from the city and other towns.

A report from the south Kashmir health resort of Pahalgam said two tourists were injured when a tree fell on one of the huts in resort town.

Power department officials say efforts were on to restore the snapped lines to restore power.

Residents in most areas of Srinagar said they had a sleepless night in anxiety as the high velocity winds created panic.