Rains lash mid hills of Himachal Pradesh

Shimla, July 19 (UNI) Shimla and its adjoining areas were receiving rains since last evening even as the dry spell continued in the lower areas of Himachal Pradesh for the fifth day today, the met office said.

Light to moderate rains were lashing parts of Shimla and Kangra districts since yesterday evening, breaking a four-day dry spell, but no loss of life and property was reported from anywhere in the districts.

The met office said Shimla town and Dharamshala in Kangra district had recorded 46.8 mm and 47.6 mm of rains respectively till 0830 hrs, adding that the state capital received another 13.9 mm of rain till 1730 hrs.

It said Dhundi in Kullu district also received 20.5 mm of rains during the last 24 hrs.

Rampur in Shimla district recorded 10.6 mm of rains followed by 6.6 mm of rain at Nauni in Solan district till 0830 hrs, even as there was no report of any rain from the lower areas of the state during the last 24 hrs, it said.

It said Dharamshala has so far received 890.6 mm of rains from June one to till date, making it the wettest place in the state, followed by 604 mm at Nagrota Surain and 493.3 mm rain at Naduan in Hamirpur district.

A report from Hamirpur district said light rains were lashing parts of the district since afternoon.

Shimla and its adjoining areas were also receiving rains since last evening, forcing people to remain indoors, and official sources said no loss of life and property was reported from anywhere in the district so far, the met office said.

The state capital recorded maximum of 21.7 degrees and a minimum of 17.2 degrees, while Sundernagar and Bhuntar recorded night temperatures of 23.9 and 21.8 degrees and day temperatures of 31.6 and 21.2 Celsius respectively, it said.

The met office has predicted moderate to heavy widespread rains or thundershowers in the state during the next 24 hrs.

UNI AS DP MIR DB2057