SHIMLA: The state Meteorological Department has issued an orange warning of heavy to very heavy rainfall for the next three days and very heavy rainfall with thunderstorms and lightning at isolated places.
For tomorrow, an orange warning of heavy rainfall has been issued for Kangra, Mandi, Shimla and Sirmaur districts while a yellow warning has been issued for the remaining districts except Lahaul and Spiti. Similarly, an orange warning of rainfall has been issued for Una, Bilaspur, Hamirpur, Kangra, Mandi, Solan, Sirmaur and Shimla districts for July 1 while a yellow warning has been issued for Chamba, Kullu and Kinnaur districts. Furthermore, an orange warning of heavy rain has been issued for Solan, Shimla and Mandi districts for July 2 and a yellow warning for the remaining districts except Lahaul and Spiti.
As per the department, the rainfall could lead to localised flooding of roads, water-logging in low-lying areas and the closure of underpasses, mainly in urban areas, occasional reduction in visibility due to heavy rainfall, traffic disruption in major cities due to waterlogged roads, damage to kuccha roads, possibility of damage to vulnerable structures, localised landslides, mudslides, subsidence and damage to horticultural and standing crops in some areas.
People have been advised to avoid going to areas prone to waterlogging and avoid staying in vulnerable structures. Director of the Meteorological Department, Surender Paul, said that rainfall was very likely to continue across the state till July 5.
Meanwhile, Light to moderate rain accompanied with thunderstorms occurred at a few places in the state during the past 24 hours. Three roads in Kangra, Kullu and Kinnaur districts were closed for traffic and 76 transformers were disrupted in the state, according to the data provided by the state emergency operation centre. Dharamsala received 54.2 mm of rain, Kasauli (39 mm), Baijnath (20 mm), Shimla (13 mm), Solan (10.2 mm) and Bhoranj (9.8 mm). The maximum temperature in Shimla was 24.8°C, in Kufri (20.3°C), Dharamsala (29.5°C), Manali (28°C), Sundernagar (32.5°C), Kalpa (26.5°C), Una (37.6°C), Nahan (33.1°C), Solan (30°C), Kangra (34.2°C), Mandi (32°C), Bilaspur (36.3°C), Hamirpur (35.1°C), Chamba (34.4°C), Narkanda (19.6°C) and Paonta Sahib (32°C).
Bhuntar in Kullu district was the hottest place in the state at 37°C while Kukumseri village in Lahaul and Spiti district was the coldest at 10°C.