Mercury rises in region

Chandigarh, Dec 21 (UNI) The mercury appreciably rose in many areas in north-west India, staying one degree to five degrees above normal in the region today.

Certain areas in the region were enveloped in thick fog reducing visibility considerably. The visibility was zero at Bhatinda and Halwara and upto 100 metres at Sirsa, 400 metres at Palam (Delhi), and 500 metres at Suratgarh. The fog disappeared as the day advanced.

Six children were injured when a school bus carrying them overturned due to poor visibility in the wake of dense fog near Kinner village in Hisar district of Haryana early today. The injured children were admitted to a hospital in nearby Narnaund town.

As many as eleven people have died due to the cold wave and fog-related incidents in Punjab and Haryana so far.

Although the mercury showed an upward movement, the minimum temperature hovered two degrees below normal at Amritsar in Punjab, recording 3.2 degrees. The minimum stayed 6.9 degrees celsius at Ludhiana and to 9.3 degrees celsisus at Patiala.

In Haryana, the mercury hovered above normal by two degrees to five degrees. Ambala recorded 9.5 degrees and Hissar 10.5 degrees.

The minimum temperature, however, kept low in Himachal Pradesh with Sundernagar in Mandi district recording 3.1 degrees against 5.1 degrees registered yesterday. The temperature also fell in Shimla to 4.6 degrees from 5.2 degrees recorded yesterday.

However, the temperature rose to 4.3 degrees celsius, three degreees above normal, at Bhuntar in Kullu district.

People in the tribal districts of Lahaul Spiti and Kinnaur and Pangi valley and Bharmour area in Chamba district reeled under a biting cold wave as the minimum hovered below freezing point in these areas. Kalpa in Kinnaur district showed minus 2.0 degrees celsius.

Cold winds swept Chandigarh although a bright sunshine greeted the residents during the day. The temperature increased in the city recording 8.6 degrees, two degrees above normal.

There was no let up in the cold wave in the Kashmir valley even as the temperature rose to 0.7 degrees, five degrees above normal, in Srinagar. However, the temperature remained constant at 12.0 degrees celsius at Jammu.

The weather Office has predcited light to moderate rain or snow at few places in Himachal Pradesh and rain or thundershowers at isolated places in Haryana and Punjab during the next 24 hours.

UNI VKJ VD HT1722