Shopian , Aug 14: A fierce hailstorm swept through several villages in south Kashmir’s Shopian and Kulgam districts on Friday afternoon, damaging apple orchards that were already reeling from wind damage a week earlier, in the third major weather-related blow to the region’s apple belt this season.
The hailstorm struck around 2 pm and lasted nearly 20 minutes, according to residents, affecting Heerpora and neighbouring villages including Matijun, Putsoo and Kunjullar in Shopian before extending into Hariwath and Nihama in Kulgam.
In Shopian’s Kapran block, a senior revenue official told Rising Kashmir that villages including Kapran, Ray, Budsu, Madojan and Pheripora were among the worst-hit, with damage estimated to run into crores of rupees.
District Horticulture Officer, Shopian, Nisar Ahmad said that Mandojan, Pheripora, Kapran, Rai Kapran, Pudsoo, Kanjiullar, Batapora and Pandushan were among the areas hit by gusty winds and hailstorm.
He said the department has already geared up the field staff to assess the quantum of damage and provide on-spot advisories to the affected areas. More so He assured that the final damage shall be assessed and the report shall be submitted to the Government on top priority basis
For growers like Mohd Shafi Wagay, the storm has left almost nothing standing. “Almost our entire orchard is completely damaged. Whatever fruit is still on the trees is bruised and injured, and whatever fell to the ground is damaged too,” he said.
Days earlier, strong winds had already battered the same orchard. “Now hardly anything is left,” Wagay said.
He said his family’s entire livelihood depended on this year’s harvest and that the losses had put household expenses under strain. “We now urge the government to support us. Our livelihood has been damaged, and we hardly expect anything from this season in return. I have children studying in Shopian, and it will be hard to even pay their fees. We used to work all day in the orchard, and now it’s completely destroyed.”
Shabir Ahmad, a lumberdar from Ferripora, described the storm as unprecedented in the area. “It lasted around 20 minutes and caused extensive damage. Heerpora received the worst of it, along with Matijun, Putsoo and Kunjullar,” he said. “We have never witnessed a hailstorm like this. We urge the government to immediately assess the damage and provide adequate compensation.”
The senior revenue official said some villages had now suffered crop damage for the third time this season, following earlier wind and hailstorm events. Nihama in Kulgam has also reported significant losses, he added, with a detailed assessment still underway.
