Rain in parts of Himachal, mercury drops

Shimla: Moderate to heavy rain occurred in some areas of Himachal Pradesh as monsoon was active in mid-hills, leading to marginal drop in mercury.

Pachhad in Sirmaur district was the wettest in the state with 100mm rains while Sarkaghat and Sundernagar recorded 63mm and 55mm rains, respectively.

Bangana recorded 43mm rainfall, followed by Mehre 40mm, Jogindernagar 38mm, Nadaun 37mm, Pandoh 35mm, Baldwara 34mm, Nainadevi and Sunnibhajji 26mm, Rampur and Banjar 23mm, Sarahan 22mm, Bilaspur 21mm, Bhoranj 20mm, Paonta Sahib 18mm, Mandi 17 mm, Rohru and Jubberhatti 16mm and Sujanpur Tira 15mm.

Una was the hottest in the region with a high of 35.6 degrees Celsius, while Sundernagar and Bhuntar recorded maximum temperatures at 32.5 degrees and 31.8 degrees, followed by Dharamsala 28.4, Nahan 27.1, Solan 26.5, Manali 25.6, Kalpa 23.8 and Shimla 21.9 degrees Celsius.

Minimum temperatures dropped marginally and Kalpa and Manali were coldest with a low of 11.2 degrees Celsius, followed by Keylong 12.4, Shimla 16.4, Palampur and Bhuntar 17.5, Dharamsala 17.8, Solan 18.4, Sundernagar 19.7 and Una 23.5 degrees Celsius.

The local MeT office has predicted rain or thunderstorm at many places in lower, mid and higher hills over next six days.