UP covered under thick fog blanket

Lucknow, Dec 31 (UNI) Cold winds continued to blow in Uttar Pradesh for the second consecutive day bringing mercury down and playing a spoilsport to the New Year celebrations.

However, little sunshine gave some respite from the cold weather in the state capital.

During the last 24 hours, Allahabad, Varanasi, Faizabad, Gorakhpur and Bareilly divisions witnessed a fall in the night temperature, the met office told UNI here today.

Allahabad and Varanasi were recorded at 4 degrees Celsius -- 5 degrees below normal -- remained the coldest places in UP. The state capital recorded 6 degree Celsius temperature.

Sultanpur and Bareilly were recorded at 5 degree and 7 degree Celsius respectively.

A report from Allahabad, which is constantly witnessing a dipping mercury during the night hours, said the homeless are facing problems as the administration has made no arrangements for their shelter. People are posed with problems due to heavy load shedding, the report further added.

Due to dense fog covering the skyline, the road transport also came to a standstill. It led to traffic jams at some places.

Vehicles moved sluggishly at highways.

Commuters had to switch on head lights of their vehicles as the visibility level went extremely low. The fog cleared around 1100 hrs in the morning.

Till reports last poured in, all major trains were running behind the schedule.

According to met office, mornings would continue to be foggy.

However, the density of the fog would depend on the moisture content in the atmosphere in the coming days.

Though it did not rain in Lucknow but the moisture content was high in the air because of drizzles in some parts of Western UP during the last 48 hours.

When moisture comes in contact with the cold winds, it turns into fog, they informed.

The met office has also forecast mainly a clear sky with thick fog envelope during the early and late hours.

Meanwhile, due to poor visibility levels, three people were killed and 30 others injured in separate road accidents today in Bulandshahr, Lucknow, Pratapgarh, Hardoi districts of Uttar Pradesh.

Due to dense fog, the Lucknow bound 4215 Ganga Gompti Express collided with a car at an unmanned crossing in Pratapgarh district this morning.

The toll due to cold is risen to 56 in the state.

UNI