By News Agency of Kashmir
Amarnath yatra suspended; 4 feared dead; 10 residential houses damaged
Jammu/Srinagar : At least four persons are feared dead, besides two hundred Jugies and ten residential houses were damaged after rain and wind storm hit parts of Jammu and Kashmir early this morning, also forcing administration to suspend Amarnath Yatra for the day.
The rains and wind storm play havoc in winter capital Jammu with rain water over flowing  in all Nallah's flowing through various parts of the city and its outskirts.
A 27 year youth and elderly women were washed away at Bagh-e Bahu and Nanak Nagar areas respectively, while the minor girl of the former was rescued.
Suresh Kumar of Rajasthan, who was washed away along with his daughter at Bagh-e-Bahu is feared dead. However his 4 year old daughter Madhu was rescued, sources told News Agency of Kashmir.
A minor child and elderly woman over taken by the flash floods in Nanak Nagar and Bag-e-Bahu area are also feared dead. Police is looking for the bodies, whose identification is yet to be ascertained.
A woman Laxshmi was rescued when she was trapped in a Nallah at Nanaknagar, while one Lakshaman Dass of Mahrashtra a Sadhu trapped in Tawi river was rescued by the locals.
Official sources told News Agency of Kashmir that about 200 hundred Jugies and ten residential houses were damaged during the heavy rains and flash floods in various parts of Jammu, since this morning.
 Likewise, In Kashmir Valley a woman was killed and three others were injured when strong winds lashed Handwara in north Kashmir.
Strong winds left four persons injured, among whom critically injured Naseema Begum, wife of Mohammad Akbar Bhat, resident of Vilgam was referred to B&J Hospital Srinagar where she scummbed to injuries, an official spokesman told NAK.
Strong wind and rain storm lashed areas of Kukroosa, Lelam, Dolipora, Mawar and Harkarpora in Handwara, he added.
The impact of storm was so strong that rooftops of many houses were blown away causing extensive damage to standing crops and fruit trees.
Meanwhile, the fresh batch of 2,666 pilgrims which left from Jammu for on ward journey to  holy cave shrine of Amarnath in south Kashmir Himalayas were send back to Jammu in view of  inclement weather conditions and landslides along the Jammu -Srinagar National Highway.
Boarded in a fleet of 85 vehicles, the cavalcade which left MAM stadium at 6 am this morning was stuck at Samroli near Udhampur district due to landslides.
Authorities later sent them back to Jammu suspending the Yatra for a day to avoid any untoward incident considering the prevailing stormy weather conditions.
Similarly, following the snowfall and incessant rains, the Amarnath Yatra was also with held for today from both Pahalgam and Baltal routes where about 13,000 pilgrims are presently camped at various places.
Sources in Shri Amarnath Shrine Board told News Agency of Kashmir that Yatra was halted following snowing incessant rains in the region since early morning. Yatra has been suspended from both routes considering the safety of the devotees,' Madan Mantoo, spokesperson of the Shri Amarnath Shrine Board said. (NAK)