Thunderstorm, squall alert in Himachal Pradesh

Shimla: The lower and mid hills of Himachal Pradesh on Tuesday experienced moderate to heavy scattered rains while the Met department issued warning of thunderstorm and squall in mid and lower hills of the state tomorrow.

Kasauli in Solan district was the wettest in the state receiving 53 mm rains while Sujanpur Tira and Dharampur recorded 45 mm and 43 mm rains, followed by Hamirpur 35 mm, Agahr and Palampur 15 mm, Bilaspur 13 mm , Ghumarwin 8 mm and Jubbar Hatti 7 mm.

The minimum temperatures dropped marginally with Manali, Keylong and Kalpa recording 10.4 degrees C, 10.8 degrees C and 11.0 degrees C, followed by Palampur 16.5 degrees C, Dharamsala 16.8 degrees C, Bhuntar 17.5 degrees C, Shimla 18.5 degrees C, Solan 19.5 degrees C, Sundernagar 20.5 degrees C and Una 25.0 degrees C.

There was no significant change in maximum temperatures and?Una in Shivalik foothills was hottest with a high of 40.8 degrees C followed by Bhuntar?35. 2 degrees C, Sundernagar 33. 5 degrees C, Nahan 32.8 degrees C, Dharamsala 31. 2 degrees C, Solan 29.8 degrees C, Manali 26.0 degrees C, Kalpa 25.6 degrees C and Shimla 24.1 degrees C.

The Met office has predicted rains or thundershowers at few places in lower, mid and higher hills of the state over next six days.

The Chief Secretary VC Pharka today reviewed the pre- monsoon situation and directed all the Deputy Commissioners to set up control rooms with broadband facility in view of prediction of good monsoon which can trigger natural hazards like floods, flashfloods and landslides.

Asking the line departments for timely preparedness on impending monsoon, he said the stakeholders should be well prepared and equipped to face and mitigate the disaster risks in the event of impending rainy season.

The Chief Secretary said the hills and mountains of the state were prone to landslides during monsoon and in view of this the disaster management should be focused on?? proactive prevention, mitigation and preparedness driven approach to minimize the loss of life and property.

Pharka stressed upon timely identification of areas prone to floods, flash floods and landslides and maintains their list so as to minimize vulnerability with the active coordination of relevant stakeholders at state and district level.

He asked the Deputy Commissioners for timely evacuation of establishments, labour colonies along with the river bed in low lying areas.

He asked for strengthening the mechanism for early warning system along Satluj, Beas, Ravi and associated rivers while asking to set up the control rooms at District Headquarters with the facility of landline number with broadband connection.

He informed that the Quick Response Teams (QRT) had already been constituted by the Police Department, Home Guards and Civil Defense at State and District level to face and handle any type of natural disaster situation and QRTs were well equipped with search and rescue equipments.