Rain and storm cause havoc in HP

Shimla, May 19 (UNI) Gale force winds and heavy rain caused disruption across parts of Himachal Pradesh overnight as power lines were knocked down and roads closed after trees were uprooted.

Shimla Met office Director Manmohan Singh said gusts of wind reaching up to 40 to 50 km per hour blew across the state early today and in the forenoon.

These were the result of Western Disturbance (WD) laying over the adjoining northern Pakistan, which was likely to bring more rain and thunderstorm in the next 24 hrs, he said.

Reports reaching here said strong velocity winds blew across the state, knocking down power lines and trees, which disrupted vehicular traffic in various parts.

Higher altitude areas of the tribal districts of Chamba and Lahaul Spiti experienced snow early today and in the forenoon and official sources in Chamba district said Saach Pass, situated at 14,500-feet, and other higher passes were under 60 cm of snow, disrupting snow clearing operations on the Chamba-Pangi road.

Dhantereru peak, situated at 15,000 feet, was also under 60 cm snow, which had been received up to Rani Kot in the district, while the lower areas were lashed by heavy rains.

Strong velocity winds, rain and thunderstorm in almost all places in Kangra, Solan and Mandi districts provided much needed respite from the heat conditions.

The met office said Sundernagar in Mandi district received 72.9 mm rain followed by 53.6 mm at Solan, 32.6 mm at Bhuntar, and two mm each at Kalpa in Kinnuar and Una town.

The maximum temperatures across the state more or less remained stationary with Shimla recording a high of 25.6 degrees, Sundernagar 34.5, Bhuntar 32, Kalpa 23, Solan 34.4 and Dharamshala 29.6 degrees, it said.

The met office said the minimum temperatures, however, fell by a few notches with the state capital recording a low of 15 degrees, Sundernagar 18.1 and Dharamshala 14.1 degree Celsius.

It also predicted more rain followed by thundershowers at isolated places in the state during the next 24 hrs.

UNI