Shimla, June 18 (FN Bureau) The mercury continued to stay five to six degrees high in Himachal Pradesh as severe heatwaves and dry weather conditions prevailed in the state, IMD said on Tuesday. The IMD reported that Shimla’s maximum temperature was 30.6 degrees on Monday, while Una’s temperature was recorded at 44 degrees. In the past 24 hours, Shimla recorded a decline of 0.4 degrees; however, it was still 5.7 degrees above normal. Una was hottest on Monday in the state at 44 degrees, down by 0.6 degrees from Monday but 6.7 degrees above normal. Shimla is facing a dearth of drinking water, affecting alternate supply of water by two to three days and the hospitality industry. Shimla Municipal Corporation is trying to run tanker supply in the market place; however, hotels and restaurants are providing mineral water now. In Famous Coffee House, after having two tankers of water supply, customers were forced to buy Bisleri water at the cost of normal water.
Apart from Shimla, the sudden rise in tourist footfall also increased the crowd in public places and traffic jams on various roads. However, tourist resorts in Manali, Kufri Narkanda Keylong, Kalpa, Sangla, Dalhousie, Khajyiar, and Dharmshala are drawing a larger number of tourists and locals to take respite from the sweltering heatwave. Since the last five days, ten stations in Himachal Pradesh have been reeling under an abnormal heatwave as Mercury continues to rise above 40 to 41 degrees Celsius. The maximum temperature of Dhaulakuan and Neri was about (43.5), Hamirpur and Bilaspur (42) degrees, Sundernagar, Berthin, and Kangra (41) degrees, Nahan and Mandi (40) degrees.Bhuntar airport 39 degrees, Solan 37.5 degrees, Jubberhati airport 34, Dharmshala 31.5 Kalpa 27, Keylong 22.9, Manali 31, Kangra 41, Dalhousie 29.7, Kufri 25.4, Narakanda 26.2, Kasauli 34.3, Mashobra 30.9 degrees respectively. IMD forecasts a light pre monsoon shower on Tuesday and Wednesday in isolated places. Meteorologists predicted mainly dry weather in rest of the state, and drought conditions may continue for the next few days.