Man dies of cold in HP, northwest plains warm up

Chandigarh, Jan 19 (UNI) A man died of cold in Himachal's Kangra district last night as upper reaches shivered under snowfall even as the northwestern plains got a respite from coldwave with mercury showing steady rise at various places in the last 24 hours.

A 49-year-old person, identified as Madan Lal, died of intense cold when he was on his way to Bohran village in the district last night. The post mortem examination of the body had confirmed death due to intense cold, sources said adding that the body bore no injury marks.

In Punjab, Amritsar, where the minimum temperature had plunged below zero degrees in the season, continued to be the coldest place in the plains recording 2.3 degrees Celsius, one degree more than yesterday but three degree below normal.

The continuous dry spell in Himachal Pradesh is increasing the minimum temperatures across the state with night temperature in Shimla rising to 4.5 degree, the met office said today.

People continued to shiver under piercing coldwave at Kalpa in Kinnuar district with night temperature rising to minus 4.1 degree as compared to minus five degrees recorded yesterday.

The met office said minimum and maximum temperatures were rising due to continous dry spell in the state after intermittent mild snow at higher altitude areas and rains at isolated places in the state yesterday.

The minimum temperatures at Sundernagar and Bhuntar rose to 1.7 and one degree Celsius from point five and point four degree respectively.

It said the night temperature at Kalpa had risen by about one degree last night to stand at minus 4.1 degree.

The met office said the minimum temperatures were likely to plummet and maximum temperatures rise during the next two days due to continous dry spell in the state.

In Punjab, the mercury fell slightly at Patiala from yesterday's 7.3 to 6.8 today while Ludhiana maintained yesterday's 7.7 degrees.

In Haryana, where the cold wave is abating, the mercury showed steady rise with minimum at Ambala recording 6.3 degrees celsius, Hissar touching 9.3 degrees, while Narnaul in Mahendergarh district showed 5.0 degrees.

The minimum temperature fell in Chandigarh to 7 degree from 8.6 degrees recorded yesterday but the City Beautiful residents enjoyed a bright day today.

UNI