‘It was sight of hell’: Hailstorm wreaks havoc on apple orchards in 29 Kulgam villages
Danishwar Hameed
The Kulgam district of south Kashmir witnessed significant damage to its apple orchards following a severe hailstorm accompanied by gusty winds on Monday afternoon.
The agriculture sector in the region, which contributes approximately 18,000 crores annually to Jammu Kashmir's GDP, has been reeling from losses for the past five years. This latest calamity has left many farmers in despair, with some describing the storm as a "sight of hell."
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gYpAPDIDt4M
According to a report compiled by officials and confirmed to The Kashmiriyat, at least 29 villages involving the areas of Arreh, Kadder, and Qazigund zones of Kulgam were particularly hard-hit.
The damage to fruit crops ranges from 5% to 25%, with several areas, including Kadder,...