New Delhi: Cold wave sweeping north India
claimed 18 more lives taking the nation-wide death toll to 93
even as temperatures rose by a few notches in several parts of
the region.
Sixteen people succumbed to the chill since last evening
in UP and two in Punjab as fog enveloped several places
hitting road and rail traffic.
In Uttar Pradesh, where the harsh weather has so far
claimed 61 lives, the lowest temperature of three degrees
Celsius was recorded at Najibabad in Bijnore.
The national capital got a respite after two days of
bone-chilling cold as mercury shot up by a few degrees.
Though the morning began with a shallow fog, the sun was
out as the day progressed.
The minimum temperature in Delhi touched 6.8 degrees
Celsius, up from yesterday`s 4.8 degrees, while the maximum
settled at 23 degrees, a degree above normal.
So far, 61 fatalities due to cold and foggy weather have
reported in UP, 14 in Jharkhand, 11 in Punjab and seven in
Bihar.
Temperatures inched upwards in Punjab and Haryana where
fog blanketed several parts disrupting road and rail traffic.
Many trains bound for Amritsar, Kalka, Pathankot,
Bathinda and Ferozepur ran behind schedule, railway officials
said.
Hisar was the coldest place in Haryana recording a low of
four degrees celsius as power outages added to woes of the
residents.
Rajasthan reeled under the cold wave with Churu recording
a low of 4 deg C followed by Sikar 5 deg C.
In Jammu and Kashmir, `Chillai Kalan`, the harshest
40-day period of winter, began today as many parts of the
Valley received snow and rain.
Hill resorts Gulmarg in north Kashmir and Pahalgam in
south experienced fresh snowfall.
Summer capital Srinagar received 4.3 mm of rain as dark
and thick clouds hovered over the city raising hopes of more
snowfall.
The minimum temperature in Srinagar was 0.8 degrees above
the freezing point, the MeT office said.
Qazigund, the gateway town to the Valley, recorded a
minimum temperature of minus 0.4 degrees. Pahalgam shivered at
minus 5.4 degrees Celsius.
Leh town was the coldest place in the state recording
a low of minus 12 deg C followed by Kargil at minus 8 deg C.
In West Bengal, Kolkata witnessed the coldest day of the
season as mercury plummeted to 11 deg C, three degrees below
normal.
Cold conditions persisted in Bihar with poor visibility
due to fog affecting rail and air traffic.
PTI
