Srinagar: A shikara boat capsized in the Dal Lake near Duck Park near Habak Crossing due to strong gusty winds. As per reports, the people on board swam to the banks of the lake and are all reported to be safe.

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Officials said that the incident occurred on Friday afternoon when people were fishing in the Dal Lake near Duck Park. The boat was hit by the strong winds and capsized.

Videos of the incident were widely circulated and went viral due to the intensity of the visuals and people are seen braving the waves due to gusty winds while trying to swim ashore to safety. 

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Meanwhile, heavy rain triggered mudslides in Jammu and Kashmir’s Ramban, following which the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway was closed.

Strong gusty winds accompanied by rain caused widespread disruption in Srinagar and surrounding areas on Friday, affecting air traffic, uprooting trees, and leading to the incident in Dal Lake where a boat capsized.

An official said that two IndiGo flights 6E896/2305 (Delhi–Srinagar–Delhi) and 6E214 (Mumbai–Srinagar–Jammu) were unable to land due to windstorms and were diverted to Chandigarh and Delhi respectively.

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On ground, several trees were uprooted along the SKICC road in Srinagar, causing a massive traffic jam. However, authorities later confirmed that the traffic had been restored after road clearance operations.
Weather forecasters reported that parts of South Kashmir and some areas of Central Kashmir received rainfall as the storm swept through the region. 

The storm also led to brief power outages in several areas, compounding residents’ difficulties.

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