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Date Published: 21/04/2022
ARCHIVED - Hailstorms devastate fruit crops in Cieza
Harvests have been seriously damaged in several municipalities in the Murcia Region
An intense hail storm which battered parts of the Murcia Region on Wednesday April 20 has caused severe damage to many of the peach, nectarine, plum, pavia (yellow peach) and pear crops, with farms in the town of Cieza the hardest hit.
"The high intensity hail has caused fruit breakage and damage to trees, the damage in some farms is 100% of the harvest, which represents a large drop in income,” explained the UPA, an agricultural and livestock organisation in the Region, who added that, although the sector is protected by insurance, this only covers the losses and still leaves farmers without any revenue.
Aemet issued a yellow weather warning on Wednesday for rain and storms in much of the Murcia Region, with torrents of up to 20mm in an hour predicted.
The hailstorm stained large areas of the Macetúa, El Horno and La Quebrada del Galán completely white, not long after another episode devastated the Cañada del Judío and the lands near the Sierra de el Picarcho.
The hail has also affected other municipalities such as Cartagena, Moratalla and Jumilla and even on the coast, residents of Los Alcázares reported an intense hailstorm on Wednesday. The municipalities of Dehesilla, Gargantones and El Carche in Jumilla were dealt a double blow, as the hail was followed by a deluge of rain.
While the damage to crops is understood to be extensive, the UPA has explained that the full extent of the financial implications is still unknown.
“Later on, when direct field work can be carried out by our technicians, we will make a more accurate assessment of the incident,” a spokesperson said.
Also of interest: Heavy rains destroy 30 per cent of Murcia crops
Image: Ayto. Cieza
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