Rain, thunderstorms continue in parts of Himachal Pradesh

Shimla, Apr 8: Rains and thunderstorms today continued to lash several places in Himachal Pradesh with no respite from cold conditions.

The weather conditions have added to farmers' woes, who are already reeling under the impact of prolonged cold spell.

While cold wave conditions persisted in mid and higher hills, widespread rains and thunderstorms continued at many places in the state as minimum temperatures stayed four to seven degrees below normal.

Rains and stormy conditions over the past several weeks have damaged wheat, stone fruits and vegetable crops in the state and continued bad weather is harmful for crops, said an official of the agriculture department.

The agriculture department is assessing the damage due to rains during past two weeks but the farmers are worried that besides causing damage to the crops, current weather conditions could affect the size of wheat grain and stone fruit crops which are at the bud break stage.

The low temperature has also retarded the process of melting of snow in higher hills and there has not been much increase in reservoirs of hydropower projects which are generating electricity at 50 to 55 per cent of the installed capacity.

The high altitude tribal areas of Kinnaur, Lahaul, Spiti and Pangi reeled under sub-zero temperatures with the mercury staying five to eight degrees below the freezing point while Kalpa and Keylong recorded a low of minus 2.6 and 0.8 degrees respectively followed by Manali 4.0 and Dalhousie 5.9 degrees, three to five degrees below normal.

Shimla recorded a low of 7.3 degree followed by Bhuntar 8.8 degree, Dharamsala 9.2 degree, Solan 9.5 degree, Palampur 10.0 degree, Sunder nagar and Una 10.7 degree and Nahan 10.7 degree.

The local MeT office has predicted dry weather in mid and lower hills over the next 48 hours and rains, thundershowers at isolated places on April 11 and 12.

PTI