SRINAGAR: Heavy rains coupled with hailstorm destroyed agricultural and horticultural crops in many villages in north Kashmir’s Kupwara district on Monday.
According to preliminary estimates thousands of acres of paddy crop has been severely damaged, a local news agency, KNS, reports.
The villages where the crops were devastated include Trehgam, Hayan, Herri, Batergam, Gulgam. Awoora and Tikker.Reports of hailstorm were also received from Kupwara town, Gushe, Bohipora and other adjacent areas.
“Hailstorm with hailstones, weighing about 25 to 30 grams, continued up to thirty minutes, severely damaging paddy fields and other horticulture crops including walnut, pear, apple as well as vegetables,” a local resident Tariq Ahmad of Herri said.
He said that the intensity of the hailstorm was so severe that it thrashed the trees and plants knocking down walnuts, apples, paddy and maize produce in what were blooming orchards and fields.
The paddy produce, that forms the backbone of the agricultural economy of the area, suffered the maximum damage. Rice producing areas of Tikker,Hirri, Batergam, Awoora, Bohipora and Kupwara were the worst sufferers in the fresh calamity.
People blamed the government for not taking any action during the past three heavy hailstorms that damaged the crops severely.
Tahsildar Kupwara Hilal Ahmad confirmed the reports of the devastating hailstorm.
He said he has visited the affected area with the team of officers to assess the damage.
