Shimla, Apr 17 (PTI) Heavy rain accompanied by thunderstorms and hailstorms lashed several parts of Himachal Pradesh, uprooting trees and disrupting power supply as several areas in the state capital Shimla remained without electricity for hours.

Pine and other trees fell on the huts of the migrants due to heavy storm at night in Hamirpur’s Barsar.

Abhishek Kumar (8) died after a tree fell on a hut while he was sleeping inside. The child was taken to Barsar Civil Hospital where the doctors declared him dead.

Since Wednesday evening, Seobagh in Kullu district recorded the highest rainfall of 28.8 mm, followed by Lahaul-Spiti’s Kukumseri 23.8 mm and Narkanda 18 mm, the MeT office said on Thursday.

Hailstorms were witnessed in several areas, causing damage to crops like apple and other fruits which were in flowering stage and the loss is being estimated, said Horticulture and Revenue Minister Jagat Singh Negi.

Roads have been blocked due to falling of trees and as per reports some houses have been damaged, he said and added that restoration work is going on.

The weather department has issued an “orange” alert of hailstorm and heavy rain and snow at isolated parts of the state on Thursday and Friday and warned of thunderstorm, lightning and gusty winds.

The thunderstorms and hailstorms on Wednesday uprooted trees, blew off the roofs of makeshift houses and caused power outages in several areas, including Shimla where power supply was restored this morning after nearly 10 hours.

Some vehicles were also crushed under trees in Shimla.

Mandi recorded 17.6 mm rainfall, Dharamshala 17 mm, Chamba 16 mm, Kalpa 15.6, Kufri 15 mm while the tourist resorts of Kasauli received 14.4 mm rain, Dalhousie 10 mm, Shimla 9.6 mm and Manali 6.8 mm, the MeT officer said.

There was an appreciable fall in the minimum temperatures. Lahaul and Spiti’s Keylong was coldest at night with a low of 0.5 degree Celsius.

The rain deficit during the ongoing pre-monsoon season from March 1 to April 17 is 38 percent as the state received 93.2mm of rain against normal rainfall of 151.3 mm. PTI BPL NB NB