Sudden Hailstorm And Heavy Rain Lash Shimla; Orange Alert Issued For Chamba, Kangra, Kullu & Mandi
Sudden hailstorm and heavy rain disrupted life in Shimla; orange alert issued for four Himachal districts with warnings of strong winds and more rainfall ahead.
A sudden spell of heavy rain and hailstorm early Friday morning brought life to a standstill in Shimla, the capital of Himachal Pradesh. As schoolchildren and office-goers were preparing to start their day, the abrupt change in weather caused widespread disruption across the city. Waterlogging on roads led to traffic snarls and made movement difficult for pedestrians.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast continued bad weather across the state till June 4. An orange alert has been issued for May 31 in Chamba, Kangra, Kullu, and Mandi districts, with winds expected to gust between 50 to 60 km/h. On June 1, Shimla will also be included under the orange alert along with these districts.
Meanwhile, the Shimla Meteorological Centre has issued warnings of heavy rainfall and thunderstorms in Sirmaur, Solan, Shimla, Bilaspur, Una, Hamirpur, and Mandi, particularly around midday. Residents in these regions are being urged to remain cautious and avoid unnecessary travel during adverse weather conditions.
A yellow alert remains in place across the state through June 4. In Mandi district, strong winds reaching speeds of 30 to 40 km/h accompanied early morning rainfall on Friday, causing damage to trees and electricity infrastructure.
The ongoing spell of unseasonal weather has added to the worries of farmers and horticulturists. Repeated hailstorms and heavy rain have taken a toll on standing crops and fruit orchards, threatening agricultural output.
In Shimla, the sudden rain caused a significant dip in temperatures, with the minimum dropping by nearly five degrees to 11.2°C. In contrast, Una recorded a scorching 41.5°C, highlighting the stark variations in weather across the state.
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