A thunderstorm with high-velocity winds of 50 to 100 km/h, accompanied by lightning and rain, swept across Himachal Pradesh, India, affecting districts such as Chamba, Dalhousie, Mandi, Kullu, Hamirpur, Bilaspur, Solan, and Shimla. This weather event disrupted normal activities, uprooting trees and damaging power lines, leaving many areas without electricity. The squall line responsible was 210 km in length, impacting most of the state.
The storm inflicted damage on crops, including wheat in the plains and apples in hilly regions like Shimla, Kullu, and Chamba. Hail and strong winds also affected mango, plum, apricot, peach, cauliflower, and pea crops. Water supply in Shimla was reduced from 42 MLD to 37.44 MLD due to power failures, but according to SJPNL's Public Relations Officer, Sahil Sharma, routine water supply remains unaffected due to sufficient storage.
Before the storm, a flash flood blocked the Pangi-Udaipur road, leaving 66 police personnel and government staff stranded. The Indian Meteorological Department issued an orange alert for heavy rain and thunderstorms on April 18 and 19 in districts like Chamba, Kangra, Kullu, Shimla, and Lahaul-Spiti, with a yellow alert for other areas. Temperatures are expected to decrease by 5 to 7 degrees Celsius before rising again from April 21.
Source: United News of India