Kupwara, Aug 18, KNT: Panic gripped the Warnov forest area of north Kashmir’s Lolab on Monday after locals mistook the intermittent loud sounds caused by heavy thunder and lightning for a cloudburst.
Officials said that continuous rains in Kupwara district were accompanied by multiple massive thunderclaps, which led people living in the forest belt to rush towards safer locations fearing a cloudburst.
However, authorities clarified that no cloudburst had taken place in the area. “The sounds that created panic were a result of lightning and thunder. There has been no cloudburst and no damage has been reported,” an official confirmed.
The incident occurred amid widespread rainfall across the Kashmir Valley, which has prompted the administration to set up emergency control rooms in vulnerable districts and issue precautionary advisories.
📢 8,000+ readers already joined for instant Kashmir News Trust updates
While there is no immediate threat in Kupwara, officials have urged people to stay alert, avoid venturing near streams or rivers, and remain in touch with local control rooms during the ongoing wet spell. [KNT]
