Overview

• Severe hailstorms on Thursday caused extensive damage to stone fruit orchards in Mula's Yéchar district and Villar del Arzobispo, with some streets covered in over two palmos of hail.
• Mula's mayor, Juan Jesús Moreno, and Villar del Arzobispo's mayor, María Ángeles Beaus, have formally requested disaster zone declarations to unlock state aid and compensation mechanisms.
• The Murcia regional Agriculture Department has begun evaluating damage across multiple areas, with initial estimates of 600 hectares of stone fruit affected in Yéchar alone.
• Authorities are working with Agroseguro to accelerate compensation for insured farmers, with 80% of Yéchar's stone fruit reportedly covered by agricultural insurance.
• Local leaders are advocating for contingency funds and policy reforms to treat hail damage as ordinary claims, aiming to provide faster and more equitable support for farmers facing recurring extreme weather.