Heavy rainfall in Himachal, temperatures plummet sharply

Shimla, May 11: Rain brought down temperatures in Himachal Pradesh on Wednesday by four to five degrees, bringing cheer to tourists who have thronged the hill state to escape the heat wave in the northern plains.

Shimla recorded a maximum temperature of 20.8 degrees Celsius, a fall from Tuesday's high of 25.2 degrees.

The weather department has forecast more thundershowers in the state on Thursday.

Shimla and nearby areas have been experiencing moderate rain since Tuesday.

"The entire state witnessed rainfall, bringing the temperatures down considerably," a weatherman told IANS.

Jogindernagar in Mandi district recorded 176 mm of rain, the highest in the state.

The state capital saw 56 mm rainfall, while it was 167 mm in Dharamsala and 9.8 mm in Manali.

Kalpa in Kinnaur district recorded a temperature of 19 degrees Celsius, while it was 27.6 degrees in Dharamsala and 31.4 degrees Celsius in Una town.

"What a pleasant relief in the hills," Aditya Sharma, a tourist from Delhi, said in Shimla.

IANS