Haryana, Chandigarh in grip of cold wave

By Staff
|
Google Oneindia News

Chandigarh, Dec 12 (UNI) Haryana, Himachal Pradesh and Chandigarh shivered today under an intense cold wave with mercury hovering below normal at many places in the region where dense fog led to spate of accidents injuring as many 37 people in Punjab.

Mercury dipped below normal by four degrees each at Chandigarh and Shimla and two degrees each at Karnal, Ludhiana and Bhuntar and one degree Celsius at Jammu.

Certain areas in the region reported fog reducing the visibility considerably. The visibility was nil at Amritsar, Halwara, Ambala, Sirsa, Sarsawa and Palam (Delhi) and upto 200 metres at Bhatinda and Suratgarh, 400 metres at Hindon and 800 metres at Adampur.

As many as 37 people sustained injuries in different mishaps on the National Highway-I between Jalandhar and Ludhiana due to poor visibility in the wake of thick morning fog. At least 18 vehicles were damaged in accidents on the highway. However no loss of life was reported.

The fog affected road and rail traffic at several places in Punjab. Several trains were running one to seven hours behind schedule due to poor vigibility. Railway employees had to restore to bursting crackers on railway lines near ''Fog Signal Posts'' to give clearance signals to coming trains, a report from Phagwara said.

The Superfast Express, Dadar Express, Barauni Express, Paschim Express, Shatabadi Express, Sachkhand Express, Flying Mail, Howrah Mail, Frontier Mail, Jhelum Express, Sialdah Express and Malwa Express were all running behind schedule.

The cold wave conditions prevailing in many parts of Himachal Pradesh and some parts of Haryana and Union Territory of Chandigarh are likely to continue for the next two days, according to the Weather Office here. Ground frost may occur at few places in Punjab and Haryana during the next two nights.

Cold wave lashed the plains in Haryana with the minimum hovering 4.5 degrees Celsius at Narnaul, 6.5 degrees at Ambala, 7.0 degrees at Karnal and 8.0 degrees at Hissar and 8.5 degrees at Rohtak.

In Punjab, Ludhiana was the coldest place recording 4.9 degrees, followed by Amritsar registering 6.4 degrees and Patiala 7.8 degrees.

Cold wave conditions prevailed in Chandigarh and its adjoining areas as mercury stayed at four degrees below normal. The city recorded the minimum at 4.0 degrees Celsius against 7.4 degrees recorded yesterday.

Himachal Pradesh also reeled under intense cold wave following further drop in the temperature. Bhuntar recorded zero degrees Celsius, Shimla 0.4 degrees, Sundernagar 0.5 degrees and Una 3.3 degrees. The entire tribal belt was under the impact of intensified cold wave with the mercury hovering below freezing point. Kalpa in Kinnaur district recorded minus 6.5 degrees Celsius.

The minimum also plummeted to 8.7 degrees at Delhi from 9.2 degrees registered yesterday. Jammu recorded further fall in the minimum to 7.7 degrees celsius, one degree below normal, while mercury settled at 2.2 degrees, three degrees up at Srinagar.

The cold wave and fog-related incidents have already claimed the lives of six people in Punjab and Haryana.

The Weather Office has predicted light to moderate rain or snow at isolated places in Himachal Pradesh and mainly sunny day with fog or mist in Punjab and Haryana during the next 24 hours.

UNI VKJ YA HS1811

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