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Srinagar: Hailstorm followed by heavy rain lashed the summer capital, Srinagar and several other parts of north Kashmir on Sunday, resulting in damage to vegetables and fruit crops.

Meanwhile, after witnessing a sunny Sunday, incessant rain lashed world famous ski resort of Gulmarg, about 55 km from here in north Kashmir.

A Met department spokesperson isolated light rain and thundershowers would occur during the next 24 hours in Kashmir valley.

However, he said the weather will turn dry from Monday onwards.

Panic gripped Srinagar, particularly in civil lines and uptown due to strong winds, followed by hailstorm and heavy rain for about half-an-hour. Opening fields, gardens and roads turned white in Srinagar, where the temperature witnessed considerable dip due to hailstorm and incessant rain. Majority of the roads were waterlogged in the city, resulting in difficulties for the pedestrian to move on the roads. 

People said that vegetables in kitchen gardens and city outskirts, particularly towards north Kashmir, were damaged due to the hailstorm.

Fruit and vegetable crops were also damaged in several villages in north Kashmir district of Baramulla due to hailstorm and heavy rain on Sunday evening.

“Many villages in Rafiabad received hailstorm for about 10 minutes followed by heavy rain, causing damage to crops,” the villagers claimed.

They urged authorities to assess the losses and accordingly compensate the affected villagers.

After witnessing a sunny day, Gulmarg received fresh incessant rain in the evening, resulting in dip in the day temperature.