Ranchi: The intense cold wave in Jharkhand has claimed 13 lives and weather officials say the chill will continue in the coming days.
"The cold wave and the dipping mercury have claimed 13 lives in the state. Four people died in Ranchi and three each died in Hazaribagh and Dhanbad. Deaths were also reported from Bokaro, Garwah and Jamshedpur," an official said.
He said the temperature has dipped to as low as two degrees Celsius in some parts of the state.
The minimum temperature dipped to 2.2 degrees Celsius in Kanke area of Ranchi and it was two degrees in Mackluskiganj, around 45 km from here. In Bokaro, the temperature was 5 degrees Celsius.
"The situation will continue to remain the same for the next three to four days," said GK Mohanty, an official at the meteorological office.
Majority of schools in Jharkhand are opening after Christmas holidays Monday but parents' associations in Ranchi have decided to meet the district administration and request for an extension of the vacation period.
IANS
First Published: Sunday, January 03, 2010, 10:58