Rain in HP; hailstorm turns Shimla white
Showers bring much-needed respite for fruit growers who were fearing crop loss due to dry spell
SHIMLA/DHARAMSHALA:: The heavy spell of a hailstorm on Tuesday afternoon painted the entire capital town and its surroundings completely white breaking the long dry spell that had begun to affect the town’s water supply from the perennial sources. Other parts of the state also experienced heavy rains and hailstorms while squalls and floods wreaked havoc in certain parts. The sky turned dark in the afternoon while hails and winds disrupted the traffic and power supply in Shimla.
The prolonged dry spell has left Himachal Pradesh with 89% deficit rainfall this April, the highest in 15 years, as the hill state received scanty showers despite five western disturbances hitting northwest India in a span of 20 days.
Thick overcast turned the sky dark in the afternoon and vehicles on the roads plied with full beam lights. The hailstorm that lasted nearly one hour disrupted the traffic in Shimla town as a thick layer accumulated on the roads. The traffic was hampered on the main circular road between the stretches connecting the Rivoli bus stand to Sanjauli. Hailstorms also disrupted the power supply in Shimla town. The rain also brought much-required respite for the fruit growers who bore the brunt of the dry spell.
“Prolonged dry spells during the springs have already affected the fruit setting, particularly in orchards in the lower elevation. The rains were much required as the moisture content in the soil was very less. It’s good for all,” said Lekhraj Dherta, fruit grower from Mandhol village.
Floods block road in Chamba
Torrential rain in Chamba district brought debris onto the roads halting the vehicular traffic on several stretches, including the Pathankot-chambabharmour national highway, which was blocked near Chaned due to an overflowing water stream. There was hailstorm in several parts of the district. In remote Churah subdivision, the roof of a two-storey building was blown away by a squall.
The flood at Terwai on Tissabairagarh road blocked the traffic for several hours. Heavy rains also lashed parts of Kangra district including Indora, Jasur, Jawalamukhi and Raja-ka-talab. High velocity winds uprooted trees in Kullu snapping the power supply at several places.
Hill town Dharamshala also received sporadic rains. Director of Shimla MET centre Surender Paul said state capital Shimla got 50mm rainfall, followed by 28mm in Dalhousie, 13mm in Keylong, 10mm in Fagu, 9mm in Kalpa, Tissa and Manali, 6mm in Bhutner and Jubberhatii and Kalatop 5mm. The MET department has forecast rains and thunderstorms in the state till May 6. A yellow alert has been sounded for thunderstorms, hailstorms and lightning in high, middle and low hills on May 4 and in the high hills on May 5.
J&K witnesses rain, thundershowers
JAMMU : Early morning rain and thundershowers plummeted the mercury and brought muchneeded relief to the people across J&K on Tuesday. “Widespread rain and thunderstorm in Jammu and Kashmir brought the mercury down. Overall, the weather will remain erratic till Thursday due to a western disturbance,” said MET officials. They said the rain and thundershowers are expected at many places in Jammu and a few places in Kashmir during the next three hours.
“Heavy rain and hailstorm are possible at a few places,” they added. Heavy rains and hailstorms were reported in Rajouri and Udhampur. The MET department said the weather is likely to remain partly to generally cloudy at most places.