Cold wave sweeps North West India, toll in up reaches 62

New Delhi, Jan 2 (UNI) Intense cold wave conditions prevailed in many parts of Northwest India with minimum temperatures continuing to stay low in the region today badly affecting road, rail and air traffic, as the winter death toll in Uttar Pradesh went up to 62.

The entire Uttar Pradesh reeled under a cold wave for the fourth consecutive day and the cold would continue in the coming days.

A report from Allahabad said two people died of cold under Colonelganj and Dhoomanganj police station areas.

Allahabad and Gorakhpur divisions witnessed a fall in the night temperature.

Allahabad at 6.5 degrees Celsius -- 3 degrees below normal -- was the coldest place in the state for the third consecutive day.

The state capital recorded 7.5 degrees, while 7.2 degrees was recorded in Kanpur.

Agra, Kanpur and Jhansi divisions experienced a slight increase in the night temperature in the past 24 hours.

A dense fog enveloped several areas in the North West region, reducing visibility to zero at Udhampur, Jammu, Pathankot, Adampur, Halwara, Sirsa and Hindon and upto 75 metres at Palam (Delhi), 300 metres at Sarsawa, 400 metres at Chandigarh and 500 metres at Ambala.

Cold wave conditions prevailing in parts of Haryana and Himachal Pradesh are likely to continue and extend to some parts of Punjab during the next two days.

Ground frost is likely to occur at a few places in Punjab and Haryana during the next two nights.

Cold surface winds blew across the plains in Punjab where Amritsar with 1.2 degrees, three degrees below normal, turned out to be the coldest place in the plains. Patiala recorded 5.5 degrees, two degrees below normal, and Ludhiana 7.2 degrees.

In Haryana, the mercury dipped to 3.0 degrees at Narnaul in Mahendergarh district from 4.5 degrees recorded yesterday. However, the temperature slightly rose at Ambala, Karnal and Hissar.

Cold wave conditions prevailed in many areas of Himachal Pradesh.

A piercing cold wave swept the tribal districts of Lahaul Spiti and Kinnaur and Pangi and Bharmour areas in Chamba district, where the minimum hovered below freezing point. The mercury plummeted to minus 5.6 degrees at Kalpa in Kinnaur district.

Kullu and Kangra valleys were under the impact of cold wave following further drop in the temprature. The minimum dipped to minus 1.3 degrees at Sunderdnagar in Mandi district and to zero degree at Bhuntar in Kullu disrict.

Shimla and its surrounding areas also reeled under cold wave conditions with the capital town recording 2.3 degrees celsius.

In Kashmir valley, Srinagar recorded minus 2.7 degrees, one degree below normal.

Chandigarh recorded a slight increase in the minimum temperature which had decreased yesterday. The city registered 6.4 degrees which was still one degree below normal.

Cloud formation due to western disturbances has led to fluctuations in the temperature in Rajasthan. In the plains, Pilani was the coldest place with the temperature dropping to 3 degrees.

In Jaipur, the minimum temperature rose to 8 degrees after remaining constant at 5.6 degrees for the last three days. In Churu the temperature dropped to 4 degree from 7 while in Udaipur the minimum temperature rose to 10, an increase of two degree celsius.

In the national capital, dense fog today disrupted flight schedules at the International airport for the second consecutive day resulting in cancellation of as many as 50 domestic departures and 36 domestic arrivals this morning.

''The dense fog this morning led to cancellation of 50 domestic departures and 36 domestic arrivals at the International airport due to poor visibility. Also cancelled were one International departure and one International arrival,''a spokesperson of the Airports Authority of India said.

Arrival and departure of 30 flights, including eight International flights, were rescheduled this morning due to fog.

Sikkim is reeling under intense cold after the maximum temperature nose dived to 11.2 degrees, which is three degrees below normal.

The state experienced snowfall in the higher hills during the last 24 hours.

Manipur was reeling under cold as the mercury plummeted to five degrees.

Met officials said while the maximum temperature was 23 degrees, the minimum plunged to five degrees.

UNI