People shiver under severe cold in region

Chandigarh, Feb 7 (UNI) People shivered in severe cold in north-west region following fresh snowfall in Himachal Pradesh and rain in the hilly state and Punjab during the past 24 hours.

However, the night temperatures rose at many places in the region in the wake of overcast sky but hovered below normal in Punjab and Haryana, except Hissar and Chandigarh.

Certain areas, including Halwara and Sarsawa, were shrouded in fog while Chandigarh, Ambala and Adampur reported mist in the morning.

Low clouds hung over the plains and the Sun played hide and seek during the day, affording little warmth to the people in the region.

People shivered under severe cold in Punjab and Haryana even as the cold wave conditions have abated in these states. Some areas in Punjab, including Amritsar, Ludhiana, Patiala and Nangal, had brief spells of rain.

The Minimum temperatures hovered at 3.2 degrees celsius at Adampur, 3.3 degrees at Amritsar, 4.5 degrees at Ludhiana, 5.4 degrees at Halwara, 7.3 degrees at Patiala, 9.2 degrees at Pathankot and 9.8 degrees at Bhatinda.

The minimum temperatures also rose in Haryana but stayed below normal with Narnaul recording 4.3 degrees, Karnal 4.8 degrees and Ambala 6.3 degrees. However, Hisar showed two degrees above normal temperature, recording 8.6 degrees.

Tribal districts of Lahaul spiti and Kinnaur and Pangi valley and Bharmour area in Chamba district of Himachal Pradesh had another spell of snowfall since last night, plummeting the temperature.

A piercing cold wave lashed the tribal belt following snowfall.

The mercury, however, rose to minus 4.8 degrees at Kalpa in Kinnaur district.

The twin valleys of Kullu and Kangra were also under the impact of cold climatic conditions in the wake of snowfall on the 13050-foot high Rohtang Pass and Dhauladhar ranges.

Shimla and its adjoining areas also experienced fresh snowfall last night. Upper areas of Shimla district, including tourist places of Wildflower Hall, Kufri, Naldehra and Narkanda also had snowfall.

Icy-cold winds blew across Shimla town, where the minimum settled at 0.1 degrees, forcing the tourists to stay indoors.

Chandigarh and its adjoining areas, reeling under severe cold, also recorded an increase in the temperature. The city registered 9.0 degrees, two degrees above normal.

The Met Office predicted moderate to rather heavy rain or snow at most places in Himachal Pradesh and light to moderate rain or thundershowers at many places in Punjab, few places in north Haryana and isolated places in the rest of Haryana during the next 48 hours.

Hailstorm or thundersquall with speed exceeding 45 km per hour is likely to occur at isolated places in the region.

UNI VKJ KD RAI1814