Cold wave claims life of one more person in Punjab

Chandigarh, Dec 19 (UNI) Cold wave, currently sweeping parts of north-west India, claimed one more life in Punjab as the mercury hovered one degree to four degrees Celsius below normal at many places in the region today.

A labourer, residing in Janta Nagar in Bhatinda, died of severe cold in a private hospital, a report said.

With this death, the toll due to the cold wave and fog-related incidents in Punjab and Haryana so far has risen to 11.

Certain areas in the region were enveloped in thick fog reducing visibility considerably in these areas. The visibility was zero at Halwara and upto 100 metres at Udhampur and Sarsawa, 300 metres at Hindon, 800 metres at Adampur and Ambala and 900 metres at Palam in Delhi in the morning.

People groaned under piercing cold wave in Punjab as the temperature stayed low. The minimum hovered four degrees below normal at Ludhiana recording 2.6 degrees celsius. Jalandhar also recorded 2.6 degrees celsius as icy winds swept the town.

The minimum stayed two degrees below normal at Patiala and Amritsar, respectively recording 5.1 degrees and 3.0 degrees Celsius.

The minimum also plummeted in Haryana with Narnaul recording 3.0 degrees while Ambala showed 6.3 degrees, one degree below normal, and Karnal 5.4 degrees, three degrees below normal.

Several areas in Himchal Pradesh were also reeling under the cold wave. People in the tribal districts of Lahaul spiti and Kinnaur and Pangi valley and Bharmour area in Chamba district were facing biting cold wave as the minimum hovered below freezing point in these areas.

Sundernagar in Mandi district recorded the minimum at 2.0 degrees while Bhuntar in Kullu district reported 1.0 degrees. Shimla was compattively warmer with the minimum hovering 8.3 degrees in the capital town.

Chandigarh and its adjoining areas in Punjab and Haryana were also under the imapct of cold weather conditions with the mercury hovering two degrees below normal. The city recorded the minimum at 5.4 degrees celsisus.

Kashmir valley continued to be in the grip of cold wave with Srinagar recording minus 2.9 degrees celsius.

The Met office has predicted light to moderate rain or snow at isolated places in Himachal Pradesh while the weather will be mainly sunny tomorrow in Punjab and Haryana with fog and mist occuring during night and morning. Ground frost is likely to occur at few places in Punjab and isolated places in Haryana during the night.

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