New Delhi: Himachal Pradesh is on high alert, with the meteorological department issuing an ‘orange warning’ for heavy rainfall and a ‘yellow warning’ for thunderstorms accompanied by gusty winds across isolated areas for two days from Saturday. The warnings come after the state experienced significant disruption on Friday morning, particularly in its capital, Shimla.
Friday began with a hailstorm, followed by a 40-minute heavy downpour that brought the city to a standstill. Dark convective clouds drastically reduced visibility to mere meters, forcing vehicles to navigate slowly with headlights on.
School children faced considerable inconvenience, with buses running late and many getting drenched while waiting. The intense rainfall also led to choked drains overflowing and garbage scattering across the roads, painting a chaotic scene.
Beyond Shimla, heavy rainfall was also recorded in Solan and Mandi. Since Thursday evening, Rajgarh topped the charts with 70 mm of rain, followed by significant downpours in Ghaghas (47 mm), Jubbarhatti (46.1 mm), Kasauli (43 mm), and Dharampur (32.4 mm).
Shimla itself received 29.7 mm, with Murari Devi and Baggi also reporting substantial amounts. Concurrently, gusty winds ranging from 39 to 61 kilometres per hour swept across locations like Bilaspur, Seobagh, Bajaura, and Kukumseri.
Thunderstorms lashed numerous areas, including Kangra, Bhuntar, and Palampur, while hailstorms were specifically observed in Shimla.
Looking ahead, the weather office has issued an ‘orange’ alert for heavy rain on May 31 for Chamba, Kangra, Kullu, and Mandi districts, extending to Shimla, Solan, and Sirmaur districts on June 1. A ‘yellow’ alert for thunderstorms, lightning, and gusty winds covers all 12 districts of the state for these two days.
