Baramulla: A massive hailstorm accompanied by strong gusty winds wreaked havoc in Rafiabad and adjoining parts of North Kashmir’s Baramulla district on Saturday evening, causing extensive damage to apple orchards and standing paddy crops.
The storm struck when apple harvesting was at its peak, devastating large tracts of fruit-bearing orchards and flattening paddy fields awaiting harvest. Farmers described the event as one of the most destructive hailstorms in recent years, saying it wiped out months of effort within minutes.
“The hailstorm has completely ruined our orchards. Apples that were ready for market are lying shattered on the ground,” said Ghulam Nabi, a farmer from Dangiwacha area of Rafiabad. “It is heartbreaking to see the entire year’s hard work destroyed in such a short span.”
Reports from across Rafiabad suggest that the worst-affected villages include Rohama, Dangiwacha, Hadipora, and several parts of Sopore. Fruit growers in these localities said the hailstones were unusually large and persisted for nearly 15 minutes, accompanied by fierce winds that tore through orchards and fields alike.
Locals said the storm’s timing could not have been worse, as the region’s apple growers were in the midst of harvesting the late-season crop, the most valuable in terms of quality and yield. “This is the time when growers recover their yearly investments. Such destruction at the peak of the season is disastrous,” said another orchardist from Hadipora.
people said that hailstorm hit suddenly around evening, preceded by dark clouds and strong gusts of wind that swept across the region. Within minutes, heavy hail began pelting down, damaging rooftops, fruit trees, and crops alike.
Following the calamity, locals have urged the administration and Agriculture Minister Javid Ahmad Dar to send assessment teams to the affected areas and ensure immediate relief. “We appeal to the government to take swift measures. Compensation is the only way to help growers recover from this severe blow,” said another local farmer. [KNT]
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