Himachal's hill towns hit by hailstorms, rain; yellow alert issued for these districts till May 9

Thunder rumbled through the skies of Himachal Pradesh on May 5 as light to moderate rain swept across the region. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) responded swiftly, issuing an orange warning for five districts, cautioning residents about the possibility of hailstorms, lightning, and gusty winds set to continue for the next three days.

The Shimla Meteorological Centre warned of moderate thunderstorms accompanied by lightning and hail, with wind speeds expected to reach 40 to 60 km/h in parts of Chamba, Kangra, Kullu, Mandi and Shimla. A yellow alert was also announced for the rest of the state, effective until May 9.

In the 24 hours leading up to the evening of May 4, the heaviest rainfall was recorded in Kahu at 74.1 mm, followed by 56.2 mm in Kandaghat, and 45 mm in Malraon. Other significant figures included 44 mm in Dhaulakuan, 38.6 mm in Naina Devi, 36 mm in Jot, and 22 mm in Kasauli.

Shimla logged 21.2 mm of rain, while Kufri saw 16 mm. Chamba recorded 13 mm, Solan 12.8 mm, and Dehra Gopipur 11.3 mm. Jubbarhatti received 9.6 mm, Nahan 9.4 mm, Kangra and Dalhousie 5 mm each, Narkanda 3.5 mm, and Manali 3 mm.

Gusty winds ranging from 37 to 52 km/h were reported from Kufri, Reckong Peo, Seobagh, and Tabo. Hill destinations like Shimla and Kasauli witnessed hailstorms, and thunderstorms swept through Shimla, Jubbarhatti, Sundernagar, Jot, and Kangra.

Temperatures remained stable overnight with Keylong in Lahaul and Spiti logging the lowest minimum at 4.1°C. However, a notable drop in daytime temperatures was observed, though Una remained the warmest at 33°C.

In a related development, the Delhi Police announced plans to coordinate with the IMD for real-time alerts on severe weather in the capital. An official stated that prompt communication would help law enforcement implement timely safety measures, especially for traffic management and public protection during extreme weather like heavy rain, dust storms, and heatwaves.

(With inputs from PTI)