Rain and snow end drought in Himachal Pradesh

Heavy rain for the past 24 hours has brought much respite to the parched hills of Himachal Pradesh and cheer to farmers.

Snow fell in the tribal region of Lahaul and Spiti, bringing back wintery conditions in high summer. The rain brought down the mercury to 13.4 degrees Celsius in the state capital, 11 degrees below normal. The resort town recorded 139 mm of rain during the last 24 hours, the weatherman said.

Fog engulfed the queen of the hills, keeping tourists indoors.The chilly winds forced residents and tourists to bring out their woollens.

The 13,050-ft Rohtang pass, the gateway to the tribal twin valleys of Lahaul and Spiti, was closed due to heavy snowfall. Keylong, the headquarters of Lahaul and Spiti, recorded 10 inches of snow, considered the heaviest in June in Keylong for many years.

The entire hill state has experienced one of the warmest of springs and summers in living memory.