Two die in fog-related accidents in Haryana

Chandigarh, Dec 23 (UNI) Two people were killed and 30 others injured in road accidents due to poor visibility caused by dense fog even as the minimum temperatures further dropped in many parts of northwest India today.

A woman, identified as Santaro, died on the spot and three men were injured when a bus hit an auto-rickshaw due to poor visibility in the wake of thick fog at Kharar Alipur in Hissar district of Haryana today.

In another incident in the district, one Rajendra, a resident of Matloda village, was crushed to death by a heavy vehicle. As many as 30 people were injured in different road accidents in the district.

With these deaths, thirteen people were killed due to cold wave and fog-related incidents in Haryana and Punjab so far.

The fog reduced visibility to zero at Adampur, Ambala, Sarsawa, Bhatinda, Sirsa and Hindon and upto 100 metres at Amritsar, 200 metres each at Halwara and Suratgarh and 500 metres at Chandigarh and Palam in Delhi. The fog, however, disappeared as the day advanced.

People reeled under cold climatic conditions as the minimum temperatures kept low in Punjab and Haryana and cold wave swept parts of Himachal Pradesh. Ground frost is likley to occur at isolated places in Punjab and Haryana during the next two nights, according to the Met office here.

Adampur, near Jalandhar, turned out to be the coldest place in punjab, recording the minimum temperature at 4.0 degrees Celsius.

People groaned under severe cold at Amritsar although the mercury slightly rose hovering 4.2, one degree below normal in the holy city.

The mercury also stayed low at Ludhiana and Patiala, respectively recording 6.8 degrees and 8.0 degrees.

The minimum temperature declined in certain areas in Haryana where Narnaul recorded a low of 4.5 degrees. The minimum dropped to 7.2 degrees Celsius at Hissar, 8.3 degrees at Ambala and 6.4 degrees, two degrees below normal, at Karnal.

Cold wave conditions prevailed in parts of Himachal Pradesh following further fall in the temperature. A piercing cold wave swept Himachal Pradesh's tribal areas where the minimum hovered below freezing point. Kalpa in Kinnaur district showed minus 2.5 degrees.

Kangra and Kullu valleys were lashed by intense cold wave with the minimum dipping to 0.3 degrees celsius at Bhuntar in Kullu district and 1.6 degrees at Sundernagar in Mandi district.

Shimla and its surrounding areas continued to reel under cold climatic conditions as the temperature remained stagnant in the capital town.

Chandigarh and its adjoining areas in Punjab and Haryana were also under the imapct of cold climatic conditions as the mercury fell by two degrees celsius. The city recorded the minimum at 6.0 degrees against 8.0 degrees recorded yesterday.

The Met office predicted partly cloudy day in Himachal Pradesh and mainly sunny day with fog or mist occuring in the next 24 hours in Haryana and Punjab tomorrow.

UNI VKJ VN AD RN1821