Himachal may get heavy rains from June 27

The hills of Himachal Pradesh may again experience heavy rainfall in the next five days, a weather official said here Saturday.

Officials said the next few days will be crucial in terms of rescuing stranded tourists and reopening roads in rain-hit Kinnaur district.

"The entire state is likely to experience heavy spells of rainfall from June 27," Manmohan Singh, meteorological department director, told IANS.

He said till then the monsoon is undergoing a lull in the region.

Official figures say around 200 tourists are still stranded in Sangla, Pooh, Kaza, Nako and Rekong Peo, which have been cut off from rest of the state, but members of the local hospitality industry are saying the figure could cross 500.

A majority of them are between Sangla and Chitkul, the last motorable village close to China border.