Cold wave sweeps North India, fog engulfs Delhi

Cold weather continues to wreck havoc in the large swathe of North India with the minimum temperature dropping to 4.8 degrees Celsius in the national capital and seven more deaths being reported from UP on Wednesday.

Zeenews Bureau

New Delhi: Cold weather continues to wreck havoc in the large swathe of North India with the minimum temperature dropping to 4.8 degrees Celsius in the national capital and seven more deaths being reported from Uttar Pradesh on Wednesday. According to Metrological Department, the cold conditions are likely to worsen in the days to come with the minimum temperature predicted to dip further to 2 degrees Celsius on Sunday. The weathermen predict that a thick blanket of fog will prevail over the national capital and the upper regions in north India today and expected to continue for three-four days, leading to disruption of rail and air services. “A fresh western disturbance is approaching Delhi on Friday. Rain and snow is likely over one or two places in Jammu and Kashmir while fog will shroud Punjab, Haryana, Delhi, north Rajasthan and west UP in the coming morning," a Met official said. On Tuesday, mercury dipped to 4 degree Celcius in Delhi making it the coldest day and the Agra in Uttar Pradesh recorded its lowest temperature at 0.9 degree Celsius. Punjab and Haryana too continued to reel under a dense fog crippling air, rail and road services. Narnaul recorded a low of 0.7 degrees Celsius. Most of the flights remained grounded at Chandigarh airport and several trains passing through the region, including Howrah express, Malwa express, Tata Moori, Barmer express and Shan-e-Punjab ran hours behind schedule. The minimum temperatures hovered between one degree Celsius above normal to four notches below normal in most parts of Punjab and Haryana. Narnaul was the coldest place in the region recording a low of 0.7 degrees Celsius, four notches below normal. Bhiwani settled at a low of three degrees, while the minimum at Karnal was 4.4 degree Celsius, three notches below normal. Hisar braved a low of 4.8 degree Celsius followed by 5.2 degrees at Amritsar, two notches above normal, 5.9 degrees at Patiala and 6.3 degrees temperature at Ambala. Chandigarh had a low of 6.9 degree Celsius, two notches above normal, followed by seven degree Celsius temperature at Ludhiana. Tripping of power and low pressure water supply compounded the problems of people in the region. The Met officials have forecast dry weather in the region during the next two days with foggy conditions prevailing and minimum temperature plummeting in most parts of Punjab and Haryana.