Hailstorm havoc returns to Rafiabad

Baramulla, May 22: A fresh spell of hailstorm swept through several parts of north Kashmir’s Baramulla district on Friday, leaving behind a trail of destruction in orchards.

The latest hailstorm, the third to hit the district in recent days and the second consecutive spell in Rafiabad caused widespread damage to apple orchards, dealing a severe blow to fruit growers already reeling under earlier losses.

Locals said the hailstorm struck several villages in Rafiabad on Friday afternoon, including Watergam, Lessar, Dangiwacha, Dandoosa, Hadipora, and adjoining areas.

Residents said heavy hailstones lashed orchards for several minutes, knocking down developing apples and damaging fruit-bearing branches at a crucial stage of the season.

Eyewitnesses described scenes of devastation as orchards turned white under the intensity of the hail, with months of labour and investment destroyed within minutes. “The hailstorm was so intense that apples started falling from the trees instantly. Growers have suffered massive losses yet again,” said a local grower, Ali Muhammad of Lessar.

The repeated hailstorms have triggered growing anxiety among orchardists, many of whom depend entirely on horticulture for their livelihood.

Fruit growers said the back-to-back hailstorms are not only damaging this year’s harvest prospects but are also threatening the fragile rural economy of the district.

Earlier this week, several areas of Baramulla, including Sangrama, Wagoora, Kreeri, Pattan, Kandi and Tangmarg, had also witnessed extensive damage to orchards and standing crops following severe hailstorms accompanied by strong winds.

Orchardists said the recurring climate-related disasters are pushing farming families into uncertainty, with many estimating losses running into lakhs of rupees.

They urged the administration to immediately assess the damage and announce compensation and relief measures for affected growers.

They have further appealed to the government to bring the horticulture activity under the Horticulture Crop insurance scheme so that the losses can be contained to some extent.