MeT predicts heavy rains in Himachal on Thursday

The local Met office has issued a yellow alert of heavy rain, thunderstorms, and lightning at isolated places in 10 out of 12 districts of Himachal Pradesh barring Kinnaur and Lahaul, and Spiti on Thursday. Moderate rains lashed several parts of the state in the past 24 hours since Tuesday evening. Manali recorded 42 mm of rain followed by Narkanda 41.5 mm, Kufri 39.6 mm, Jubbarhatti 39 mm, Khadrala, 36.4 mm, Shimla 36.2 mm, Kasauli 22.6 mm, and Sarahan 22mm.

A total of 126 roads were closed in the state on Tuesday morning, as per the last update from the state emergency operation centre. Himachal Pradesh's rainfall deficit so far since the onset of monsoon on June 27 stands at 23 percent with the state receiving 461.1 mm of rainfall against an average of 598.4 mm. From the monsoon onset till Monday, 144 people have died in rain-related incidents and the state has suffered losses to the tune of Rs 1,217 crore, officials said.