MeT sounds yellow alert in Himachal, cautions of floods in Sirmaur

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Six districts of Himachal Pradesh are likely to receive heavy rains on Friday, the meteorological office here said while issuing a yellow alert and cautioned of flash floods in Sirmaur district.

The MeT warned of heavy rains at isolated places in Mandi, Bilaspur, Chamba, Kangra, Solan and Sirmaur districts on Friday.

A fresh Western Disturbance is likely to affect northwest India from the night of September 15, it added.

Predicting a wet spell in the region till September 21, the weather department has forecast light to moderate rains in the low and mid hills of the state and moderate rain or snowfall in the higher reaches.

It also cautioned of damage to standing crops, fruit plants, and young plants and advised farmers to reschedule the spraying of insecticides.

Monsoon remained normal in the state on Thursday and light to moderate rains lashed some parts.

During the ongoing monsoon season, Himachal Pradesh received 840.6 mm of rain from June 1 to September 15 against a normal rainfall of 689.6mm, an excess of 22 per cent, data released by the MeT showed.

Heavy rain wreaked havoc in Himachal Pradesh in the months of July and August and the state has so far suffered losses of Rs 8,680 crore, according to the state emergency operation centre.

Since the onset of monsoon in the hill state on June 24 till September 13, about 272 persons have died in rain-related incidents.