Cold wave intensifies in North India, toll at 161

New Delhi, Jan 8: The cold wave tightened its grip over North West India today with Delhi recording 2.6 degrees Celsius, the lowest in the season.

Six more deaths were reported from Uttar Pradesh taking the nationwide toll to 161.

The cold wave sweeping through eastern Uttar Pradesh since last week claimed six more lives. The toll rose to 104 in the state.

The met office attributed the extreme cold wave to moisture feed from Rajasthan and snowfall in Uttarakhand.

Lucknowites got some relief from the cold due to bright sunshine, while people in other parts of UP continued to shiver for the second consecutive week.

After last week's severe chill in Delhi, this week began on a

After last week's severe chill in Delhi, this week began on a "freezing" note for Delhiites as the mercury plummeted to a low of 2.6 degrees, the second lowest recorded in the last five years.

Icy northwesterly winds contributed to the chill with the minimum temperature of 2.6 degrees being four degrees below normal.

Weathermen say this is the second lowest temperature recorded in Delhi in the last five years. Visibility was normal.

The weatherman forecast a drop in mercury to one degree tomorrow.

The cold wave intensified in North-West India as the temperatures continued to remain low in the region with Adampur in Punjab recording minus 2.2 degrees.

The minimum hovered three degrees to six degrees below normal in Punjab and Haryana.

A severe cold wave swept Punjab despite bright sunshine greeting the people during the day.

A piercing cold wave lashed Amritsar with the minimum dipping to minus 1.0 degrees, five degrees below normal, in the holy city. The mercury also hovered five degrees below normal at Patalia and was three degrees down at Ludhiana, respectively recording 2.2 degrees and 3.0 degrees.

A severe cold wave also lashed people in Himachal Pradesh and harsh cold conditions prevailed in the tribal areas of the state.

The mercury hovered at minus 4.5 degrees at Kalpa in Kinnaur district.

Kullu and Kangra valleys and the entire Mandi district was facing biting cold wave.

Shimla was a little warmer, recording 2.8 degrees, one degree above normal. But icy winds lashed the capital town.

The cold wave and fog-related mishaps have already claimed the lives of 17 people in Punjab and Haryana, 35 in Bihar and five in north Bihar.

The Kashmir valley continued to be in the grip of unabated cold wave with Srinagar recording minus 5.6 degrees while Jammu registered 4.0 degrees, four degrees below normal.

Biting cold, icy winds and steadily dipping temperatures forced people to stay indoors across Rajasthan.

Churu mapping 0 degree, remained the coldest place in the state.

The state capital recorded 2.4 degrees, turning out to be coldest day of the season. It was sunny during the day, yet the cold persisted.

The temperature in Manipur plummeted to 4.4 degrees.

UNI