Shimla, April 9 The high-altitude areas of Lahaul and Spiti and Shimla districts received fresh snowfall, while moderate to heavy rainfall occurred across the state, the local Meteorological station said on Thursday.
The state capital, Shimla, and its surrounding areas experienced a severe hailstorm. Cold weather returned to the state, with minimum temperatures ranging from two to seven degrees below normal, while maximum temperatures dropped by 9 to 14 degrees below normal in most locations over the past 24 hours.
The threat of landslides is significant after the rains and snowfall. A building under construction near Jawahar Navodaya School in Bandrol, Kullu district, was severely damaged by a massive landslide, endangering several nearby houses and a hotel, which had to be evacuated, according to officials.
Khadrala in Shimla district recorded 5 cm of fresh snow, while Gondla and Keylong in Lahaul and Spiti received 2 cm and 1 cm, respectively.
Brahmani received 53.6 mm of rain, followed by Olinda (40 mm), Jot (38.2 mm), Shri Nainadevi (34.2 mm), Gohar (29 mm), Raipur Maidan (27.6 mm), Dharamshala (27.5 mm), Nichar (26.4 mm), Nalagarh and Jogindernagar (25 mm), Rohru (22 mm), Amb (19.6 mm), Manali (18 mm), mandi (17.4 mm), Kangra (16 mm) and Shimla (15 mm).
Most areas of the state experienced a brief respite from the inclement weather, with bright sunshine greeting residents. However, by the afternoon, the sky became overcast, bringing light showers to some locations.
Many people are flocking to the Atal Tunnel near Manali to enjoy the snow, but slippery road conditions pose risks for motorists, with only 4X4 vehicles permitted beyond Solang Nallah.
Keylong reported the coldest temperature in the state at minus 0.4 degrees Celsius, followed by Kukumseri at minus 0.3 degrees, Tabo at 0.3 degrees, Shimla at 3.6 degrees, and Manali at 4.9 degrees Celsius. Una was the hottest during the day, recording a high of 27.6 degrees Celsius.
A severe cold day was noted in Kalpa, Una, Kangra, and Bilaspur, while Sundernagar, Jot, and Shimla experienced thunderstorms and lightning, the MeT said.
The MeT station has predicted light rains and snow at isolated places in the state from April 10 to 12 and also cautioned that a fresh Western Disturbance was likely to affect the Western Himalayan region from April 15.
Additionally, a gradual rise of two to nine degrees in minimum temperatures is anticipated over the next 4 to 5 days, with a 3 to 8 per cent increase in maximum temperatures within the next 24 hours.