Srinagar, May 11 (IANS) Lightning killed 90 sheep and goats overnight in Jammu and Kashmir’s Ganderbal district, officials said on Monday.

Officials said nearly 90 sheep and goats belonging to a nomadic family from Rajouri district were killed after lightning struck during the intervening night in a high-altitude forest area of Poshkar Kangan in Central Kashmir’s Ganderbal district, officials and locals said on Monday.

The incident occurred in the Dhana Dok area of Poshkar, a remote grazing belt frequented by migratory tribal families during the summer season. The livestock reportedly belonged to nomads identified as Mohmmad Yaseen Bijran and Abdul Majeed Bijran, sons of Khan Mohammad Bijran and residents of Sunderbani area of Rajouri district.

Locals said the area witnessed intense weather activity during the night, following which dozens of animals were found dead in the pasture on Monday morning. Preliminary reports suggested that lightning may have struck the flock during the storm. The incident has caused massive financial loss to the affected family, whose livelihood primarily depends on livestock rearing and seasonal migration to upper reaches for grazing.

Police and local authorities were informed about the incident, who assessed the exact scale of the damage. Such incidents are not uncommon in the higher reaches of Jammu and Kashmir during the summer migration season when nomadic families move with their livestock to alpine pastures vulnerable to sudden weather changes, thunderstorms, and lightning activity.

Scores of nomadic goatherds called the ‘Bakarwals’ move from the plains during summer months into highland pastures of the Valley with their families, livestock and household goods to spend over four months in the Valley’s meadows.

These hardy souls cover hundreds of miles on foot to and from their winter homes in Rajouri, Poonch, Reasi and Ramban districts each year to tend to their livestock.

The Government has created many facilities for the Bakarwal families like mobile schools for their children, while veterinary doctors and nursing staff visit the meadows at regular periods to provide professional services to the livestock and the people etc.

Due to their high physical mobility, despite consuming large amounts of milk, butter and ‘Ghee’, the Bakarwals very rarely have lifestyle diseases like fatty liver, high blood pressure, diabetes etc.

Each Bakarwal family has a pair of special breed of shepherd dogs who work as guards and sentinels for their master’s livestock guarding animals against predators like leopards, bears, jackals etc.

–IANS

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