Cold wave relents but normal life remains disrupted

New Delhi, Jan 9 (UNI) The cold wave sweeping North-West India relented somewhat today with mercury rising appreciably in some parts of the region though normal life continued to be affected due to the weather.

The cold wave claimed five more lives in UP taking the nationwide toll during the season to 166.

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

There was bright sunshine in Lucknow though people in other parts of UP continued to shiver for the second consecutive week.

Cold wave also swept Haryana with the minimum temperatures in the state plummeting two to three degrees below normal.

Amritsar in Punjab recorded the minimum temperature at 0.4 degrees.

Pathankot and Ludhiana also continued to reel under a cold wave, recording the minimum temperatures at 2.6 degrees and 4.0 degrees respectively.

Despite night temperatures showing a marginal rise in Himachal Pradesh, a cold wave persisted in the hilly state. The cold wave was also unrelenting in the tribal areas of the state. Kalpa in Kinnuar district recorded a night temperature of minus three degree.

Cold wave conditions also prevailed in Mandi, Kullu and Kangra districts.

Icy-cold winds lashed Shimla although the night temperature jumped to 4.1 degree from 2.8 degree recorded yesterday.

Chandigarh and its adjoining areas in Punjab and Haryana were also under the grip of a cold wave even as the minimum temperature rose in the city to 4.0 degrees which was still three degrees below normal.

The entire Kashmir valley continued to be in the grip of a cold wave with Srinagar recording minus 5.3 degree, three degrees below normal.

Biting cold conditions continued to send Delhiites "in a freeze" with the cold Northwesterly winds maintaining an intense chill in the air for the second consecutive day.

For the second day in succession, the mercury was recorded at four degree below normal at 3.2 degree C, just a slight rise from 2.6 degree C recorded yesterday.

The fog resurfaced on the Delhi skyline this morning, reducing visibility levels.

People in Rajasthan still have no respite from the biting cold despite two to five degree rise in temperatures as icy winds continued to mar the otherwise pleasant weather.

Jaipur with mercury touching 2.4 degree was the coldest place yesterday. Several other places in the state recorded a three to four degree rise in temperature but the cold wave seems to have intensified due to icy winds.

The minimum temperature in Kolkata remained two degrees below normal at 12 degree.

Dumdum area of the city experienced foggy conditions.

Manipur was also in the grip of a cold wave as the mercury plunged to 4.4 degree in Imphal.

Tripura also experienced a cold and foggy day accompanied by chilly winds.

UNI