Himachal Pradesh Experience Heavy Rain And Hailstorms, MeT Issues 'Yellow' Alert Till Tuesday

The regional meteorological center has forecasted rainfall in isolated areas of the mid-hills and rain or snowfall in higher altitudes at a few locations from April 20 to April 23.

Several other parts of Himachal Pradesh, including popular tourist destinations like Manali and Shimla experienced havoc due to heavy rain, hail, and lightning on Friday, officials said.

During the storm in Manali, a tree fell and damaged nine cars as well as the roof of a house close to the Bhutnath temple. One person inside a car was hurt and was taken right away to a nearby hospital to receive treatment, As per PTI.

Shimla and its surrounding areas experienced intermittent rainfall, accompanied by lightning and hailstorms, resulting in dark clouds blanketing the sky and reducing visibility to mere meters. There have also been numerous reports of hailstorms hitting various parts of the state and trees being uprooted.

Meteorological Center Issues 'Yellow' Warning

The regional meteorological center has forecasted rainfall in isolated areas of the mid-hills and rain or snowfall in higher altitudes at a few locations from April 20 to April 23. Additionally, a yellow warning has been issued for thunderstorms with lightning, hail, and gusty winds at isolated spots on April 22 and 23.

On Friday, light to moderate rainfall was observed at various locations in the state, with Ghaghas recording the highest rainfall at 19 mm, followed by Sundernagar at 17.4 mm, Bharmour at 13 mm, Dalhousie at 9 mm, Berthin at 8.2 mm, Bilaspur at 8 mm, Jot at 7.6 mm, Kasauli at 8 mm, and Shimla at 7 mm.

In Lahaul and Spiti district alone, a total of 106 roads and three national highways, including the Gramphu-Losar and Darcha-Sarchu highways, were closed, as per reports from the state emergency operation center.

Daytime temperatures witnessed a significant drop in some areas, with Chamba and Dalhousie recording highs of 23 degrees Celsius and 11.3 degrees Celsius, respectively, marking a deviation of 11.5 and 10 notches below the normal temperatures. Dhaula Kuan registered the highest temperature in the state at 36.9 degrees Celsius, followed by Una at 35 degrees Celsius.