Bad climate hits Himachal Pradesh as record-breaking rainfall sends mercury plummeting
Shimla, May 2
In the peak of the summer season, the mercury has plummeted by nine to ten degrees below normal due to incessant and unseasonal rain, disrupting normal life and causing shooting stones to come on the roads. The ripened wheat crop could not be harvested, and power and road communication have been affected in many places.
According to the Met Office, Jogindernagar (Mandi) had 47 mm rain, Kothi (Kullu) 26 mm, tourist resort Manali 24 mm, Pachhat and Sangrah (Sirmaur) 23 and 22 mm, Chopal (Shimla) 21 mm, Khadrala 18 mm, Renuka and Jatoon Barrage (Sirmaur) 16 mm each, tourist favourite Kasauli 15 mm, Arki (Solan) 14 mm, Kalpa 12 mm, Solan and Kandaghat and Rohru(Shimla) 11 mm, and Bangana (Una).
Also read: Himachal Pradesh faces unrelenting inclement weather, IMD issues yellow alert extension
The night temperature has plummeted by two to three degrees, and the day temperature has also come down drastically as the average was down by nine degrees from the normal on Sunday. Shimla recorded 61 mm of rainfall since the last two days, and the minimum temperature went down to 9.6 degrees, five degrees lower than normal. Keylong was three degrees, Narkanda 4.9, Kalpa and Kufri six, Manali 7.8, Dalhousie 8.6 degrees, Jubberhati airport 11.7, Bhunter 13, Dharmshala 12, Una and Mandi 15 each, Kangra, Hamirpur, and Chamba 16 degrees, Bilaspur 17 degrees.
Incidents
One person, identified as Umeshwar Singh, son of Ishwar Singh of the village Shalota of Kumarsain of Shimla district, drowned in the inflated Satluj river under Anni Tehsil of Kullu district last evening. NDRF and local divers have launched the search operation.
Early this morning, shooting stones and heavy boulders fell at Manju Arla village under Sabathu subdivision in Kasauli district and damaged a house. Due to this incident, one person got multiple injuries and was referred to the Army Hospital Chandigarh.
Roads affected
In the state, 15 roads and two national highways are blocked and still snowbound. Power supply has also been affected in eight distribution transformer regions, and three water lifting schemes are also affected.
The Rabi harvesting season is at its peak in the mid-hills, and the wheat and barley crops are ready. But owing to prolonged wet weather, the farmers are worried about the grain. In the high reaches and apple growing areas, the frequent spell of hailstorms has affected the apple crop. The frequent wet weather conditions are also posing a threat to fungal infections in the fruits and off-season vegetables.
Forecast
The Met office has again issued a yellow alert for the next two days today, forecasting light to moderate rainfall in most places in mid-hills and rain or snowfall in foot-hills and high reaches in many places.
On May 3, the state is likely to get light to moderate rain or snow at a few places in the mid and high reaches and in isolated places on May 4. No warning was issued after May 4, but inclement weather conditions may prolong in the hill state.
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