Thaindian News

Shimla/Manali, June 2 (IANS) The mercury continued to remain abnormally high across Himachal Pradesh Saturday, recording temperatures two to six degrees above normal, despite drizzle and mild snowfall in some areas. The temperatures at some places crossed 42 degrees Celsius.

Shimla, situated at an altitude of 2,130 metres, was warm at 30.1 degrees Celsius, six notches above average. It saw light rain in the afternoon.

The picturesque tourist resort Manali experienced mild rain but the majestic Rohtang Pass (13,050 ft), located 65 km from Manali, had snowflakes that brought cheer to tourists.

“It’s really a welcome relief to see snow when the northern plains are sizzling. We hope to see more spells of snow,” tourist Namita Sharma from Delhi said.

The meteorological office in Shimla said Una town, located on the Punjab border, was the hottest at 44 degrees Celsius.

Dharamsala in Kangra district recorded a high of 36.8 degrees Celsius, five notches above average, while it was 25.2 degrees in Kalpa in Kinnaur district and 36.2 degrees in Solan town.

According to the representatives of the hospitality industry, more than 50,000 tourists are reaching various destinations in the state everyday.

Balbir Thakur, District Tourism Development Officer at Manali, said: “Most of the hotels in Manali are packed to capacity. This Sunday, we are expecting more than 10,000 tourists to reach the town and nearby destinations.”

The met department said dry weather would prevail across the state Sunday.