Three killed, 66 injured in fog-related accidents in Punjab

Chandigarh, Dec 19 (UNI) Three people were killed and more than 66 others injured in fog-related accidents in Punjab while the north-west India reeled under intensified cold wave following further decline in the mercury during the past 24 hours.

A dense fog enveloped several areas, including Adampur, Bhatinda Hindon, Sirsa, Ambala, Halwara, Amritsar, Phagwara and Udhampur, reducing visibility considerably, affecting road and rail traffic.

A couple was killed and another person injured when a car carrying them collided with a mini truck in the wake of poor visibility due to fog near Beas in Amritsar district of Punjab last night. The deceased were identified as Devender Singh and his wife Lakhwinder Kaur.

An unidentified person was killed and more than 60 people, including women and children, were injured in different road mishaps during foggy weather in and around Phagwara this morning, a report from Phagwara quoting police said.

Six people were injured in a truck-bus collision near Chuharwali village under Adampur police station in Jalandhar district this morning due to poor visibility caused by fog.

With today's deaths, the toll in fog-related accidents and the current spell of cold wave rose to six in the region so far.

Several mail, express and passengers trains were running three to twelve hours behind the schdeule due to foggy weather, the Phagwara report said.

People groaned under cold wave conditions as the minimum temperature stayed one degree to seven degrees celsius below normal in Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh and Chandigarh Union Territory.

The cold wave further intensified in Punjab with Ludhiana turning as the coldest place in the state, recording 0.4 degrees celsius, seven degrees below normal.

Amritsar registered 0.6 degrees celsius, three degrees below normal, while Patiala showed 2.0 degrees, five degrees below normal.

In Haryana, Ambala with 1.8 degrees, five degrees below normal, was the coldest place. Karnal recorded 2.0 degrees celsius, which was six degrees below normal, while Rohtak registered 3.5 degrees and Narnaul 4.0 degrees.

Cold wave also intensified in Himachal Pradesh with people in the tribal belt facing biting cold wave as the minimum hovered below freezing point in tribal areas.

The entire Kangra and Kullu valleys were under the impact of intense cold wave. Bhuntar in Kullu district recorded 0.4 degrees, one degree below normal, while Sundernagar in Mandi district registered 2.0 degrees and the capital town of Shimla 4.2 degrees celsius.

Chandigarh and its adjoining areas in Punjab and Haryana continued to reel under cold wave as the temperature hovered at 3.6 degrees, two degrees below normal. Cold surface winds blew across the city during the day.

Kashmir valley continued to be in the grip of cold wave with Srinagar recording minus 2.4 degrees celsius and Jammu 7.5 degrees celsius.

Cold wave conditions, prevailing in some parts of Punjab and Haryana are likely to abate in the next two days, according to the Met Office here. It warned of ground frost formation during the night in the plains.

Light to moderate rain or snow is likely to occur at isolated places in Himachal Pradesh while the weather will be partly cloudy in Punjab and Haryana tomorrow, the Met office here said.

UNI