From correspondents in Himachal Pradesh, India, 08:39 PM IST

Rain in Shimla and other parts of Himachal Pradesh Friday brought the temperature down by five degrees Celsius bringing much relief to the people from the sizzling heat, the weatherman said.

'Moderate rain in Shimla and its nearby areas this (Friday) evening brought much relief from the scorching heat,' director of the Shimla meteorological office Manmohan Singh told IANS.

He said after the rain the mercury plummeted sharply.

'In the morning, the maximum temperature fell one degree Celsius from Thursday's 30 degrees Celsius, but after the rain the temperature dipped by five degrees,' he said.

(Staff Writer, © IANS)