Srinagar, Oct 8: A severe hailstorm lashed parts of Kashmir on Thursday damaging standing crops, orchards and disrupting normal life for some time.

North Kashmir’s Bandipora district was the worst hit by the hailstorm, which lasted for 10-15 minutes.
“It was terrible. The hailstones came down heavily and within minutes the ground was covered with hail,” said Fayaz Ahmad from Bandipora.
He said several areas witnessed heavy hail accompanied by gusty winds, causing concern among farmers, particularly those dependent on standing crops and fruit orchards.
Traffic movement was also affected during the hailstorm.
The severe hailstorm and strong winds were also reported from parts of Ganderbal, Baramulla and Kupwara districts.
In Kupwara, severe hail and heavy rain were reported to have affected paddy fields and apple orchards, while crop damage was also reported from some areas of Ganderbal.
Meanwhile, the apple growers have sought relief from the administration after the hailstorm damaged the standing crops.