Hailstorm hits several villages in Tral, Shopian

Pulwama, May 04: A hailstorm struck several villages across South Kashmir on Sunday, causing significant distress among the local farming community.
Tahseen Ahmad, a resident of Syed Abad Aripal village in Tral, told Rising Kashmir that their area experienced intense hailing around 2:30 PM.
“Hailstones fell heavily for a few minutes,” he said, adding that the storm caused severe damage to both horticultural and agricultural crops.
He reported injuries to fruits including apple, plum, pear, and walnut, while mustard and oat crops also suffered.
The family’s kitchen garden was severely affected.
“Our kitchen garden was devastated by nature’s fury,” he lamented.
The hailstorm was also reported in Gadpora, and Jawharpora villages of Tral.
Horticulture officials estimated around 10–15% damage to fruit crops in the area.
In Shopian district, villages such as Sedow and Hirpora were hit by hail around 2:40 PM. Local residents said the hailing lasted for approximately five minutes.
Chief Horticulture Officer (CHO) Shopian informed Rising Kashmir that initial assessments indicated mild intensity with minimal expected damage.
Horticulture officials have advised affected farmers to spray Mancozeb in their orchards.
“The injured fruits will heal with time,” they noted, recommending the addition of 200 grams of urea per 100 litres of water along with the fungicide to help manage stress in the affected trees.