New Delhi: Intense cold left 408 persons dead
in north India as temperature dropped in Punjab and Haryana
today while a thick blanket of fog engulfed the national
capital affecting 25 flights and train services.
All the 23 fresh deaths were reported from Uttar Pradesh,
which alone accounted for 379 casualties so far this winter.
Poor visibility due to fog led to a train accident this
morning in Tundla in Uttar Pradesh in which three persons were
killed and 14 others wounded. This was the fourth fog-related
train mishap in the state this fortnight.
After a temporary respite from biting cold for a couple of
days, icy cold winds blew in Amritsar, which recorded a low of
0.8 degree Celsius, three notches below normal.
Mercury also dropped at Ludhiana, where the low settled
at 2.2 deg C, down four degrees. Patiala, too, faced a cold
night at 3.7 deg C, three notches below normal.
Severe cold gripped Chandigarh, which recorded a low of
4.3 deg C, down by two degrees.
In Haryana, biting cold swept Narnaul which recorded a
minimum temperature at 2.3 deg C, followed by Karnal at 2.8
deg C, four degrees below normal. Ambala and Rohtak also
experienced a cold night with minimum temperature of 4.1 deg C
and 4.8 deg C respectively.
Foggy weather conditions affected flight operations in
Chandigarh. Jet Airways has suspended all its flights
operating from Chandigarh till January 18. Fog also affected
train schedules.
Jammu reeled under intense cold with night temperature in
the region slipping by a few notches, even as mercury level
rose in Kashmir valley.
PTI
