Handwara, May 24 (KNS) : A powerful hailstorm lashed Handwara area of north Kashmir late Sunday night, causing widespread damage to fruit orchards and standing agricultural crops, officials and locals said.
The weather fury came just hours after a similar hailstorm had damaged fruit and vegetable crops in the Lolab area of adjoining Kupwara district, compounding distress for farmers already grappling with seasonal uncertainties.
Witnesses said the hailstorm began around 10:30 PM and continued with intense ferocity for several minutes. “The sound of heavy hailstones battering rooftops and trees sowed panic across the area,” a local resident told KNS.
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Growers reported severe damage to cherry orchards, besides other fruit crops. Vegetable fields and nursery plantations were also badly affected. “Most of the crops and orchards were at a crucial growth stage. This unexpected weather has inflicted major financial losses on us,” a farmer from the affected belt said.
The affected growers have urged the district administration and horticulture and agriculture departments to conduct immediate spot assessment and provide adequate compensation to the victims at the earliest. (KNS)