Himachal records third lowest rainfall in January in 123 years

Shimla, Feb 6 : Himachal Pradesh witnessed large deficient precipitation of 92 per cent in January -- the third lowest since 1901 -- the meteorological office said here on Tuesday.

The state received 6.

8 mm rainfall against 85.3 mm normal rainfall in January.Chamba district received the highest rainfall at 13.8 mm, it said.

Bilaspur, Chamba, Hamirpur, Kullu, Shimla, Solan, Una, Kangra, Mandi, Kinnaur and Lahaul-Spiti districts received a large deficient rainfall, while Sirmaur district received no rainfall.

The previous low in January in the state was recorded in 2004 with a precipitation deficiency of 92 per cent, while it was 98.5 per cent in 2007 and 99.6 per cent in 1966, an all-time low in 123 years.

Another low was recorded in 2018 at 9 mm and in 2016 at 19 mm.

On January 31, there was sufficient amount of snowfall in Udaipur (25.9 cm) and Keylong (8 cm), both in Lahaul-Spiti; Kothi (15 cm) in Kullu district; Sangla (5 cm) in Kinnaur district; and Khadrala (14 cm) in Shimla district.

On the same day, Tissa (31 mm), Chamba (25.2 mm), Manali (12 mm) and Jubbal (11.2 mm) received rainfall.

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