Hailstorm hits south Kashmir, apple farmers face heavy losses
The hailstorm, which struck various areas on Friday evening and continued today, has severely damaged the blooming flowers in orchards, particularly in the apple-rich belt of Shopian
Heavy to moderate rains, accompanied by thunder and a damaging hailstorm, lashed the Kashmir valley starting Friday night, leaving behind a trail of devastation for orchard owners in south Kashmir. Several parts of the valley experienced significant rainfall from Saturday afternoon, while the upper reaches, including Tulail in Gurez of Bandipora district, received fresh snowfall, prompting the administration to close schools up to the primary level.
The hailstorm, which struck various areas on Friday evening and continued today, has severely damaged the blooming flowers in orchards, particularly in the apple-rich belt of Shopian, according to growers.
Political leaders have voiced their concern over the plight of the farmers. Former J&K chief minister and PDP President Mehbooba Mufti expressed her dismay on ‘X’ (formerly Twitter), stating, “Yesterday’s hailstorm wreaked havoc on fruit orchards across the valley leaving farmers devastated. Horticulture is the backbone of our economy & has consistently supported the region even in the most difficult times. Urge the government to immediately deploy assessment teams to evaluate the extent of the damage & provide all possible assistance to the affected farmers.”
Apni Party president Altaf Bukhari also urged the government to conduct a thorough assessment of the damage inflicted on apple orchards in south Kashmir. In a statement, he said, “Reports from various parts of Shopian district indicate that intense hailstorms have caused extensive damage to the delicate apple blossoms in orchards, potentially threatening the upcoming harvest. My deepest sympathies are with all those affected by this harsh weather. I urge the administration to deploy official teams to the affected areas for a thorough assessment of the damage. It is also imperative that agricultural experts provide timely guidance to farmers to help mitigate the impact on the crop yield.”
Yawar Banday, a senior PDP leader from Shopian who visited the affected areas, highlighted the significant losses faced by fruit growers. “There was full flower bloom in orchards. Unfortunately nature’s fury left most of the orchards damaged and now growers will have to bear huge losses,” he lamented.
Meanwhile, the meteorological office in Srinagar has issued a warning about a potential rise in water levels in rivers and streams due to the persistent heavy rainfall, which could also trigger landslides. Their latest bulletin stated, “For next two days, the weather will remain generally cloudy with light to moderate rain/snow (higher reaches) at most places with possibility of moderate to heavy rain/snow at isolated to scattered places during April 19 accompanied with thunder/gusty winds till late evening of April 20.” The MeT office has also advised farmers to suspend all farm activities until Monday.
Regarding temperature, Srinagar recorded a night temperature of 11°C, which is 2.6 degrees above the normal for this time of year. Jammu, on the other hand, recorded a night temperature of 23.5°C.
Hailstorm causes property damage in Rajouri
The worst-affected areas include Tehsil Kalakote and Mogla Block, where strong winds tore through the region. Some houses with tin-sheet roofs were unable to withstand the storm’s intensity. Almost 100 homes have reportedly been destroyed, and some school buildings have suffered roof damage, according to additional deputy commissioner (ADC) Kalakote, Tanveer Ahmed.
“Many poor families in these areas had built their houses with limited resources. The iron sheet roofs have been blown away, and all their household belongings have been destroyed,” said ADC Tanveer Ahmed.
The administration has constituted many teams for rescue operations in Block Mogla, Kalakote sub-division.
Adding to the misery, a high alert has been issued in the region for the next 48 hours as further inclement weather is predicted.
Significant infrastructural damage has been caused. Tree uprooting and the destruction of electric poles and cables have completely disrupted power supply lines. The storm also damaged the roof of the SKME School building in Kalakote.
Residents are urging the government to provide immediate compensation and relief assistance. ADC Tanveer Ahmed confirmed that assessment teams have been deployed across all affected zones and relief measures are being expedited.
“All reports are being compiled, and we are actively addressing the issues. Relief is being provided as a priority, and people are being advised to remain indoors for their safety,” ADC Ahmed added.
The administration has assured continued monitoring of the situation, with efforts underway to restore basic services and offer aid to those impacted.
