Hail, rain damage fruit, veggie crops in Himachal

Shimla, June 5

Shimla and its surrounding areas were hit by a squall, accompanied by hailstorm and heavy rain this afternoon, causing a sharp fall in day temperature and damaging fruit and vegetable crops.

The inclement weather forced people to rush indoors as the capital town recorded 78 mm rain (74 mm in just two hours).

The hailstorm caused a sharp fall in the mercury and the day temperatures stayed five to six degrees below normal. Fruit and vegetable growers were on tenterhook as stormy conditions are catastrophic for apple stone fruit and vegetable crops.

The tourist resort of Kufri recorded 54 mm rain during the past 24 hours, followed by Gohar (48 mm), Jubbar Hatti (45 mm), Banjar (42 mm), Fagu (37 mm), Dalhousie (30 mm), Baldwara (28 mm), Solan (22.4 mm), Hamirpur and Dharampur (21 mm), Mandi (19 mm) and Nahan (15 mm).

The local MeT office has warned of thunderstorm, accompanied by lightning, hailstorm and gusty winds at a speed of 40 to 50 kmph in mid and lower hills tomorrow and predicted rains and thundershowers in mid and lower hills and rains or snow in higher reaches from June 6 to 8 and on June 11. — TNS