Cold wave relents in several parts of North India

New Delhi, Jan 18 (UNI) The cold wave relented in several parts of North India today though the hilly regions in Jammu and Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh continued to experience near sub zero temperatures.

There were no reports of any fresh cold wave deaths and the toll stood at 179, with Uttar Pradesh alone accounting for 120 casualties.

There was no let up in the cold wave in eastern UP, with Sultanpur recording 5.3 degrees Celsius in the last 24 hours -- 4 degrees below normal.

Several long distance trains passing through Lucknow were delayed due to fog.

Amritsar, where the minimum temperature hovered below zero degree yesterday, continued to be the coldest place in the plains, recording 1.3 degrees, four degrees below normal.

The mercury also rose at Patiala and Ludhiana, respectively registering 7.3 degrees and 7.7 degrees, two degrees above normal.

In Haryana, where the cold wave has already abated, the temperatures stayed low although the mercury showed a steady rise.

The minimum hovered one degree below normal at Ambala recording 6.1 degrees.

Despite a rise in the minimum temperature following partially cloudy weather, cold wave conditions prevailed in Chandigarh and its adjoining areas. The city recorded the minimum at 8.6 degrees against 6.0 degrees recorded yesterday.

Parts of Himachal Pradesh continued to reel under cold wave conditions. People in the tribal districts of Lahaul Spiti and Kinnaur and Pangi and Bharmour areas in Chamba district groaned under a harsh cold wave. Kalpa in tribal Kinnaur district also recorded a rise in the minimum temperature from minus 7.0 degrees to minus 5.0 degrees.

The mercury settled at 3.0 degrees at Shimla.

Cold wave persisted in Jammu and Kashmir even as the night temperature increased in Srinagar recording minus 0.3 degrees, which was two degrees above normal.

The cold wave sweeping the capital over the last two weeks abated today with the mercury recording a sharp rise to 7.7 degree.

For the first time in the last more than two weeks, the minimum temperature rose to one degree above normal, giving some relief to people of Delhi from the severe chill of the past weeks which saw the mercury plummeting to 2.6 Degree , the second lowest in the last five years.

The cold wave subsided in Rajasthan with the mercury going up in some places in the state.

Churu remained the coldest with 3.7 degree while Mount Abu closely followed at 4 degrees.

Kolkatans experienced a minimum temperature of 12.3 degree against yesterday's 16.1 degrees.

The Met office forecast the minimum temperature would hover around 11 degrees for the next couple of days.

Today's maximum temperature was 23.2 degrees.

The winter has reached its peak in Manipur with minimum temperature hovering around four degrees.

People were forced to stay indoors due to the biting cold.

No rainfall was recorded, sources added.

Kohima city is reeling under severe cold wave for the past three days following heavy snowfall in Puliebadze range.

The minimum temperature is about 1.5 degree and the maximum is 10.5 degree.

UNI