Shimla, April 14 (PTI) Shimla and several other parts of Himachal Pradesh were today lashed by a storm followed by intermittent rains this evening. The higher reaches in tribal are and mountain passes had another spell of snow, causing a fall in the mercury. Local MeT office said rains and snow were caused by western disturbances lying over the region. Saloni in Chamba district was the wettest in the region with 18 mm rain, followed by Mandi 14 mm, Dharamshala 13. 8 mm, Manali 10 mm, Kangra 9 mm, Shimla 7 mm, Solan 6 mm, Dehra Gopipur in Kangra and Sunni Bajji in Shimla 5 mm each and Kalpa one mm respectivley. The higher reaches in Chamba, Kangra, Shimla, Kullu and tribal districts of Kinnaur and Lahaul had another spell of moderate snowfall. The standing wheat crop in mid and lower hills also suffered damage due to rains and storm while intermittent rains, accompanied by a strong wind, badly hit the normal life in Shimla and some other places and local people and tourists were forced to take out heavy woolens. Agriculture experts said the rains were beneficial for Rabi crop in the higher hills where the wheat crop has not matured yet. However the storm was harmful for apple crop which was at flowering state. Director of local met office Manmohan Singh said a hailstorm is likely to occur at isolated places over mid and low hills in the state and thunder squalls with speed reaching 40-50 km per hour is likely to occur at one or two places in the next 24 hrs.
