Srinagar,  At least 250 sheep were killed by lightning in Jammu and Kashmir's Anantnag district, official sources said on Wednesday.

"The incident took place in a pasture in Hoksar area of Kokernag tehsil in Anantnag district during the intervening night of Monday and Tuesday," they said.

Sheep from different low lying areas of the Valley are taken to highland pastures for grazing during the summer months.

These vast open areas are usually vulnerable to the vagaries of nature like snowfall, hailstorm and cloudbursts which result in huge damage to livestock.