Rain causes sharp drop in mercury in HP

Widespread rain and thundershowers lashed Himachal Pradesh bringing down the mercury level in the state which was reeling under scorching heat the past few days.
Una in Shivalik foothills recorded a maximum temperature of 36.0 degrees against 42.8 degrees yesterday while Bhuntar and Sundernagar recorded a high 35.0 degreesand 34.3 degrees, a drop of three notches against yesterday.
Nahan recorded a high of 35.3 degrees, followed by Dharamshala 30.8 degrees, Solan 30.4 degrees, Shimla 26.2 degrees, Manali 25.6 degrees, Kalpa 24.4 degrees C.
A high-level meeting of officials took place today to take stock of the state's preparedness as MeT department has predicted heavy showers in the coming days.

Gohar was the wettest region with 36 mm rains, followed by Dharampur 31 mm, Dharamshala 22 mm, Sundernagar 20 mm, Paonta Sahib and Solan 19 mm, Pachhad 17 mm, Aghar 16 mm, Palampur 13 mm, Nadaun 12 mm, Hamirpur and Mandi 10 mm and Kasauli 8 mm.
The minimum temperatures also dropped by a few notches and Manali was coldest in the region with a low of7.8 degrees, followed byKalpa and Keylong 9.6 degrees, Bhuntar 14.4 degrees, Solan 16.4 degrees, Dharamsala 16.6 degrees, and Sundernagar 17.0 degrees, Shimla 17.3 degrees and Una 23.2 degrees C.

The MeT office has predicted rains and thundershowers in mid hills during the next six days starting tomorrow.

During the review meeting, Additional Chief Secretary (Revenue), Tarun Sridhar, said timely preparedness for the impending monsoon was being ensured and alerts have been issued to all the authorities concerned across the state.
Sridhar also directed the authorities to ensure alternative arrangements for shifting people living near rivers and rivulets to safer places as incidents of floods and cloud bursts might occur.
He directed all the deputy commissioners to issue advisories to the people in their respective districts and take timely precautionary measures.
He also stressed upon paying special attention to cleaning of water channels, nallahs, pre-monsoon de-siltation and encroachments from drainage systems and flood plains to avoid breakdown of essential services.

He asked to take preventive steps to ensure that there is no outbreak of epidemics.