Kullu: Weak monsoon activity is likely to continue over Himachal Pradesh with the weather department forecasting only isolated spells of heavy rain in few districts over the next four days even as the state has recorded a 19% rainfall deficit during the first week of August.According to the meteorological centre, Shimla, parts of Bilaspur district are likely to receive moderate to heavy rain on August 7; Kangra district from August 7-10; Kullu, Shimla, Solan, Kinnaur on August 10; and Sirmaur on August 8, 9 and 10.The Met has also warned of thunderstorms accompanied by lightning and gusty winds at isolated places over the low and mid hills till August 12 with Kinnaur and Lahaul-Spiti likely to experience sustained winds during the period. The weather office said heavy rain could trigger localized landslides and mudslides, flash floods in vulnerable areas.Meanwhile, rainfall during the first six days of August suggests the southwest monsoon has weakened over much of Himachal. The state recorded an average 39.5 mm rainfall against the normal 48.5 mm between August 1 and 6, recording an overall 19% deficit.The largest shortfall has been recorded in Lahaul and Spiti, which received just 1.3 mm rainfall against the normal 20.1 mm, a 94% deficit. Kullu recorded 12.9 mm rain against 33.8 mm (62% deficit), Chamba 26.2 mm against 61.5 mm (57% deficit), Kinnaur 5.6 mm against 12.5 mm (55% deficit), Hamirpur 33.6 mm against 56.6 mm (41% deficit), Solan 41.1 mm against 57.3 mm (28% deficit), Mandi 57.9 mm against 74.7 mm (23% deficit), Kangra 104.6 mm against 125.8 mm (17% deficit) and Shimla 38.6 mm against 39.8 mm, a 3% deficit.Only Bilaspur, Una and Sirmaur have recorded surplus rainfall so far this month. Bilaspur has received 98.8 mm against the normal 52.7 mm (88% excess), Una 122.5 mm against 59.2 mm (107% excess) and Sirmaur 161.6 mm against 73 mm, an excess of 121%.Last month, the state had recorded 272.5 mm rainfall, which was 6% higher than the normal of 255.9 mm.Box: 120 roads in state remain blockedAs many as 120 roads, including National Highway 5 at the Nigulsari sliding point in Kinnaur, remained blocked across Himachal Pradesh on Thursday.According to the State Emergency Operation Centre (SEOC), Mandi reported the highest number of road closures at 38, followed by Kullu (31), Sirmaur (26) and Shimla (13). Chamba had five blocked roads, Kangra five, Una two and Kinnaur one, the NH-5, while Bilaspur, Hamirpur, Lahaul and Spiti, and Solan reported no road closures.The number of disrupted distribution transformers (DTRs) dropped from 189 on Wednesday evening to 39 on Thursday evening. Kullu accounted for the highest number of affected transformers at 20, followed by Shimla (11), Solan (7) and Chamba (1).Drinking water supply disruptions remained almost unchanged, with 60 water supply schemes affected across the state compared to 61 a day earlier. Sirmaur accounted for the highest number of disrupted schemes at 33, followed by Hamirpur (13), Shimla (11) and Bilaspur (3). Water supply schemes in the remaining districts were functioning normally, the SEOC report said.
