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Tribune News Service
Shimla, May 21
A squall, accompanied by hailstorm and downpour, lashed Shimla and its adjoining areas, disrupting normal life in the capital.
The squall disrupted vehicular traffic as visibility was reduced to a few metres during the day and vehicles had to move at a very slow pace with headlights on, resulting in traffic jams. The power supply was also affected as heavy rain triggered landslides and several areas remained without power for more than one hour.
The hailstorm forced tourists and local people to stay indoors and people covered the parked vehicles to save these from damage due to hail.
The state capital recorded 23.5 mm rain while Una and Bajaura received 9 mm rain, followed by Bhuntar 8.7 mm, Sundernagar 3.4 mm and Dharamsala and Saloni 3 mm. The rain caused marginal fall in the mercury and maximum temperature dropped to 34.4 degree at Una while Nahan was the hottest with a high of 35.5 degree, followed by Sundernagar 32.2 degree, Bhuntar 30.8 degree, Solan 29.2 degree, Shimla 25.4 degree and Kalpa 23 degree.
The minimum temperature dropped by a few notches and Kalpa was the coldest with a low of 5.8 degree, followed by Manali 6.6 degree, Keylong 6.9 degree, Bhuntar 13.5 degree, Solan 14.8 degree, Shimla 15.7 degree, Sundernagar 17.5 degree, Palampur 18 degree, Dharamsala 18.8 degree, Nahan 19.2 degree and Una 23 degree C
The hailstorm and squall damaged the apple crop and standing wheat crop in mid hills and farmers were a worried lot as the local MeT office has warned of thunderstorm and hail at isolated places in mid and lower hills tomorrow also.
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