Shimla (Rajeev Sharma): Several towering Deodar trees came crashing down on a road near Oak Over, the official residence of the Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister, on Friday morning, disrupting movement in the area. No injuries or fatalities were reported in the incident.
The fallen trees created difficulties for pedestrians and commuters, with schoolchildren and other residents having to carefully negotiate their way through the affected stretch. The incident occurred amid unsettled weather conditions prevailing across the state.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has simultaneously warned of dense fog in Shimla, with visibility potentially falling to around 50 metres. Motorists have been urged to exercise extreme caution, particularly on roads where poor visibility and fallen trees could increase the risk of accidents.
Light rainfall is also expected at isolated locations in Solan, Bilaspur, Mandi, Kullu and Chamba until noon.
Yellow alert for Bilaspur and Kangra
The weather department has placed Bilaspur and Kangra under a Yellow Alert for heavy rainfall at isolated locations on Friday. However, the broader monsoon activity has remained relatively subdued across Himachal Pradesh during the past week.
Nine districts have recorded rainfall below normal levels over the last seven days, while three have received substantially more precipitation than usual. Sirmaur recorded a 121 per cent surplus, whereas Lahaul-Spiti faced a 94 per cent rainfall deficit.
Overall, the state received 19 per cent less rain than normal during the seven-day period.
Monsoon likely to strengthen from August 10
Weather conditions are expected to become more active from August 10, with rain forecast across several parts of the state.
The IMD has issued a Yellow Alert for Kangra, Kullu, Mandi, Solan, Shimla, Sirmaur and Kinnaur for heavy rain on August 10. Wet conditions are likely to continue in parts of Himachal Pradesh through August 12.
With rainfall and fog expected in different areas, authorities have advised residents and tourists to remain alert, especially near vulnerable slopes, roads and areas prone to falling trees or landslides.
Rain brings temperatures down
The recent rainfall has also brought a noticeable decline in daytime temperatures. The state’s average maximum temperature was 1.5°C below normal.
Kalpa recorded 17.5°C, which was 5.1 degrees below normal. Nahan’s maximum temperature stood at 23.9°C, while Una recorded 29.4°C. Bilaspur and Solan recorded maximum temperatures of 29°C and 26°C, respectively.
The weather department has advised people to keep track of updated forecasts as conditions are expected to remain changeable over the coming days.
