HP: Rains, Icy Winds Lash Shimla, Adjoining Regions; MeT Dept Issues Yellow Warning

Rains preceded by high-velocity icy winds and lightning lashed Shimla and adjoining areas on Wednesday evening, officials said. 
    
Mandi received 16 mm of rain followed by four mm in Bharmaur, 2 mm each in Ghagas and Chhatrari, and 1 mm in Khadrala, they said. 
    
The rain deficit in March (March 1 to 15) was 86 per cent as the state received 8.3 mm of rain against normal rainfall of 57.4 mm, officials said.
    
The local MeT office has issued a yellow warning, predicting thunderstorms and lightning accompanied by a hailstorm at isolated places in the low and mid hills of Kangra, Kullu, Mandi, Shimla, Solan, and Sirmaur districts on March 16. 
    
♒It has also predicted thunderstorms and lightning at isolated places on March 17, 18, and 19 and a wet spell in the region till March 21.