Heavy rains, hailstorm lash Shimla

Shimla and its surrounding areas were today lashed by a severe hailstorm accompanied by heavy rains, disrupting normal life.
Hundreds of BJP and Congress workers gathered outside the Deputy Commissioner's office this afternoon to know the results of Shimla Municipal Corporation polls, ran helter- skelter and rushed into the office complex for shelter.
The counting of votes was also stopped for a brief period as complete chaos prevailed with people huddled in limited open space to escape the fury of hailstorm and rains.
Shimla town received 52 mm rains while Sunni-Bhajji, Seobagh and Kumarsein received 40 mm, 38 mm and 30mm rains respectively followed by Bhuntar 21 mm, Mashobra 16 mm, Bharari 15 mm, Khadrala and Jubbar Hatti 11 mm and Jubbal 9 mm.

The MeT office has warned of heavy to very heavy rains in midhills on June 20 and predicted rains and thunderstorm in mid and lower hills and rains or snow in higher hills till June 23
The pre-monsoon rains would continue for about a week as South-west monsoon has reached Jharkhand so far is likely to hit the state in last week of June, said Manmohan Singh, Director of local MeT office.

There was no significant change in minimum temperatures and Manali was coldest with a low of 8.6 degree while Keylong and Kalpa in tribal Lahaul and Spiti and Kinnaur districts recorded minimum temperatures at 8.9 degree and 11.0 degrees, followed by Shimla 16.0 degrees celsius.

Palampur recorded 19.5 degrees, Dharamsala 20.2 degrees, Sundernagar and Nahan 21.5 degrees and Una 25.0 degrees Celsius.
There was no significant change in day temperatures and Una was hottest with a high of 36.6 degrees while Kalpa was warmer than Shimla, with a high of 23.6 degrees against 22 degrees in Shimla.