Cold waves grip North India; 3 more deaths reported

New Delhi, Dec 14 (UNI) Severe cold crippled life in Kashmir today with the temperature plummeting to minus 13 degrees Celsius in Kargil as three more deaths were reported from Uttar Pradesh, taking the toll in the state due to cold wave to 22.

One cold wave death was reported from Rajasthan.

The weatherman has attributed the plunge in temperature in Uttar Pradesh to snowfall and rainfall in Uttaranchal.

Allahabad was the coldest at 7 degrees Celsius, which was two degrees below the normal temperature. Agra recorded a temperature of 7.8 degrees Celsius, followed by Bareilly at 8.6 degrees Celsius, while Gorakhpur and Kanpur recorded a temperature of 8.8 degrees Celsius each.

So far, seven people have died of the cold wave in Mahoba, followed by four in Bareilly , three in Hardoi, two each in Banda and Hameepur and one each in Lucknow, Moradabad, Lalitpur and Badaun. In Rajasthan, the cold wave sweeping the state has caused a fatality in Sakhedi village in Jhalawar district.

The minimum temperature in Mount Abu has dropped to 3 degrees Celsius, while Churu recorded a temperature of 5 degrees Celsius.

Meanwhile, in Jammu and Kashmir the coming days face the prospect of colder weather in as western disturbances, moving over northern Pakistan, are fast approaching the state, which could result in further snowfall and further drop in the temperature.

The upper reaches in the Kargil in Ladakh region experienced fresh snowfall since last evening.

A weather office spokesman told UNI that night in the valley was cold because of icy cold winds sweeping the entire belt.

The minimum temperature was recorded at minus three degree, which was two degree below normal, he said, adding the coming days would be colder.

People of North West plains today enjoyed a bright winter afternoon after a shivering night even as cold wave continued in Himachal Pradesh and parts of Haryana and Punjab.

In Chandigarh, Shimla, Ludhiana, Patiala and Hisar people were seen basking in the sunshine which also came as a welcome relief to thousands of workers holding protest 'dharnas' outside their offices as part of the nationwide Left-sponsored strike.

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