Kufri, March 15 -- A sudden spell of rain and hailstorm on Sunday afternoon brought a sharp drop in temperature to the hill resort of Kufri near Shimla, delighting tourists and providing relief after a prolonged dry spell in the region.

The unseasonal rainfall, which followed months of dry weather, raised hopes among local tourism stakeholders of increased tourist footfall in the coming days.

According to the India Meteorological Department, rain is likely to continue across several parts of Himachal Pradesh over the next two days.

Many tourists visiting the hills, expecting relatively warmer weather, were caught unprepared and were seen buying warm clothes in local markets.

One of the tourists from West Bengal told ANI, "I came to Hi...