Hailstorm, heavy rains damage crops

Excelsior Correspondent
Srinagar, May 15: Overnight hailstorm and heavy rains wrecked havoc in several areas of South Kashmir’s Anantnag and Kulgam districts.
Reports said with the hailstorm and heavy rains during the previous night, standing crops including Apple orchards, almond flowers and vegetables were damaged in Kamad Bonadialgam Wanihama Brinty Dailgam, Brakpura, Gopalpora, Mattan, Ashmuji and other areas of South Kashmir’s Kulgam and Anantnag districts.
The districts witnessed heavy rains as well as hailstorm in the intervening night of Saturday-Sunday at around 12.15 PM, which continued for at least 15 minutes thereby resulted in the tremendous loss to farmers and fruit growers, the reports said. The farmers and fruit growers suffered at least 80 to 90 percent damage due to heavy hailstorm.
Meanwhile, the farmers as well as the fruit growers appealed State Government to depute their teams to assess the damage caused by heavy rains and hailstorm. They also demanded compensation to the affected farmers and fruit growers.