Prediction of rain, snow worries farmers

Tribune News Service

Shimla, April 26

Farmers in the state are worried lot as the local MeT office has predicted rain/thundershowers and snow at isolated places in mid and higher hill over the next six days.

The farmers are yet to recover from harrowing experience of intermittent rain and storm during March and April and fresh rain and storm will be ruinous for the standing wheat crop and will damage peas, vegetables, potato and stone fruit crops.

The harvesting of wheat starts in the last week of April or first week of May in mid and higher hills and rain is likely to cause extensive damage to Rabi crops, especially the wheat crop and increase the moisture in grains.

The region had a cloudy day today, causing a marginal fall in temperature and Una in foothills recorded the maximum temperature of 35.5 degree against 37.6 degree yesterday while Nahan recorded a high of 30.8 degree, followed by Sundernagar 30.2 degree, Bhuntar 29.6 degree, Dharamsala 26.8 degree, Solan 25.4 degree, Manali 22.2 degree, Kalpa 21 degree and Shimla 20.7

Some parts of the state had light rain and Dharamsala recorded 8 mm rain while Kumarsain had 6 mm rain followed by Rohru and Bijahi 4 mm each, Tinder 3 mm and Baijnath 2 mm. Shimla was lashed by strong winds accompanied by intermittent showers and sky remained overcast.

The minimum temperatures dropped by two to three degrees and Keylong and Kalpa in tribal Lahaul and Spiti and Kinnaur districts recorded a low of 2.4 degree and 5 degree, followed by Manali 6.8 degree, Bhuntar 11 degree, Chamba 12 degree, Shimla 12.8 degree, Solan 13.4 degree, Dharamsala 14.2 degree, Sundernagar 14.5 degree, Una 18.1 degree and Nahan 17 degree C.

No loss of human life or property has been reported in Himachal due to the yesterday’s earthquake, said Special Secretary (Disaster Management), DD Sharma, adding that all districts had been asked take precautionary measures if tremors reoccur in the next few days.