By IANS
Shimla : Ten of the 12 districts of Himachal Pradesh have received deficient rainfall this monsoon and a long dry season has set in the hill state.
Officials of the meteorological office here said Thursday that the southwest monsoon retreated from the hill state Tuesday after over three months.
The normal monsoon rain in Chamba district is usually 879 mm but barely 204 mm rain fell this year, making it the most rain-deficient district in the state. Chamba received 77 percent less rain than normal.
While Lahaul and Spiti received 73 percent less rain than normal, Kullu, Shimla, Sirmaur, Solan, Kangra, Mandi, Hamirpur and Bilaspur also recorded less rain this monsoon season.
Only Kinnaur and Una district have recorded marginally more rainfall than normal, weathermen said.
The dry spell is likely to continue till the last week of December, when the first snowfall usually takes place in the state.