Previous
File
Current
File
Cold
wave claims 31 lives in North India
New
Delhi: The northern parts of the country are under
a cold wave with the chilling conditions pushing the death
toll to 31, as 25 cold-related more deaths have been reported
in the region. The general life is badly affected especially
in early morning and late evening. All the deaths occurred
since Friday evening in Uttar Pradesh where Kanpur remained
the coldest at 5 degrees Celsius.
Seven deaths were reported from Muzaffarnagar and Kanpur
while four people died in Gorakhpur whereas and two each
died in Lucknow, Mahoba, Santkabirnagar and Barabanki
districts. One death each was reported from Bahraich,
Jaunpur, Ambedkar Nagar, Hardoi, Faizabad, Shahjahanpur.
In Punjab and Haryana, intense cold conditions prevailed
with minimum temperature remaining about two degrees below
normal. Amritsar was the coldest with a low of 1.8 degrees.
Besides, Patiala, Ludhiana and Ambala shivered at 5.5
degrees followed by Bhiwani at 5 degrees. Rohtak city
settled at a low of 4.4 degrees, the minimum at Narnaul
was three degrees. Chandigarh city recorded a low of 6.8
degrees, Hisar 6.4 degrees and Karnal 6.2 degrees.
In New Delhi, cold wave persisted with the minimum temperature
settled at 5.4 degrees. A thick fog cover hit flight operations,
delaying as many as 31 flights by over three hours at
the Indira Gandhi International Airport and cancellation
of 19 others on Saturday. Train service has also been
hit due to fog which hampered train movement and Northern
Railway cancelled six trains from Delhi and announced
the cancellation of another 13 trains from Sunday. Meanwhile,
the snowfall in higher areas of Himachal Pradesh intensified
cold wave condition in the State. There has been report
of snowfall from Keylong, the headquarters of Lahual and
Spiti district, and higher reaches of Kinnaur, Rohtang
Pass and Dhauladhar ranges. Himachal's Keylong received
about two centimeter of snow since morning. With fresh
snowfall, the snow-level at Rohtang pass swelled up to
about eight feet. Also, there have been reports of snowfall
in higher reaches of Kinnaur, including on Sri Khand and
Kinner Kailash mountains of the district bordering China.
Shimla registered 5.7 degrees whereas Keylong temperature
stood at -8.9 degrees while it was -2.5 degrees at Kalpa.
In Rajasthan, Mount Abu remained the coldest as mercury
there dipped to 1.4 degrees, followed by Churu which braved
a minimum temperature of 3.9 degrees. Minimum temperature
remained at 8 degrees in Jaipur and 9.7 degrees in Ajmer
and Jodhpur.
It was another chilly morning for people in Delhi on Sunday
with the minimum temperature settling at 8.1 degree Celsius.
"The minimum temperature was one degree above the normal
temperature at this time of the season," said Met officials.
On Saturday, the minimum temperature was recorded at 5.4
degree Celsius while the maximum temperature recorded
at 15 degree Celsius; five degrees below Saturday's maximum.
Season's minimum temperature plummeted to a low of four
degrees Celsius in New Delhi on Friday. A light cover
of fog also engulfed the capital on Sunday morning adding
woes to morning commuters as normal visibility range fell
down considerably. The weatherman has forecast the maximum
temperature will be around 20 degrees and the minimum
temperature will remain around 8 degree Celsius on Monday
(Jan.5). Foggy conditions are likely to remain for the
next couple of days, as per Met department. "The sky will
remain clear in the next couple of days," a Met official
said.
The
Government of Delhi has issued directives to all its schools
not to conduct classes for students up to standard eighth
till Tuesday in view of prevailing cold wave condition.
The Municipal Corporation of Delhi too has announced closure
of schools till Tuesday. Many private schools have decided
to extend the winter vacation due to the cold wave condition
in the capital. The minimum temperature recorded in Delhi
was 8.1 degree Celsius.
-Jan 4, 2009
