Shimla, Apr 19 (PTI) A total of 262 people have lost lives in natural calamities and road accidents since January 1, 2025 till date, Revenue Minister Jagat Singh Negi said on Saturday.

In April alone, 38 people have died. Till date, 43 roads including two national highways are closed for vehicular traffic and 220 transformers and 30 water supply schemes are disrupted in the state, he told PTI Videos.

Meanwhile, light rains lashed parts of Himachal Pradesh, while isolated areas in the high hills of the tribal district of Lahaul and Spiti received snowfall on Saturday.

The local MeT office has issued a yellow alert for thunderstorms accompanied by lightning and winds with a speed of 30-40 kilometres per hour, in all the 12 districts of the state for Sunday.

The MeT has also issued an orange warning for heavy rains, hail and thunderstorms accompanied by lightning and winds with a speed of 30-40 kmph in the five districts of Chamba, Kangra, Kullu, Mandi and Shimla.

Hansa in Lahaul and Spiti received 5 cm of snow, hail was witnessed in Sundernagar, while thunderstorms occurred in Shimla, Kalpa, Bhuntar, Sundernagar, Kangra, Jot and Palampur since Friday evening.

There is a possibility of a sudden increase in the water level in rivers and drains due to continuous rains in Lahaul and Spiti recently, the district police said and advised people not to go near rivers, drains and other water sources.

Tissa in Chamba was the wettest in the state with 19.3 mm of rain, followed by Kukumseri (15.8 mm), Bhuntar (14 mm), Seobagh (13 mm), Keylong (8 mm), Brahmani (7.2 mm), Olinda (7 mm), Manali and Kalpa (6 mm each), Murari Devi (5.8 mm), Jot (4.8 mm) and Sundernagar (4 mm).

The MeT office has forecast a wet spell in the state till April 22 (Tuesday).

Keylong was the coldest at night, recording a low of 1 degree Celsius, while Una was the hottest during the day with a high of 36.8 degrees Celsius.

The rain deficit during the ongoing pre-monsoon season from March 1 to April 19 is 39 per cent as the state has received 96.4 mm of rain against the normal rainfall of 156.8 mm. PTI BPL RUK RUK