North India continues to reel under intense cold wave

Rohtak (Haryana)/Mussoorie (Uttarakhand), Jan 29 : Northern India continued to shiver under intense cold wave conditions on Tuesday as mercury levels dipped to sub-zero temperatures, disrupting normal life.

In Rohtak, the temperature plummeted to around two degree Celsius, causing immense hardship to people, particularly during the intensely cold nights.

Labourers working in the outdoors have wrapped themselves up in maximumossible warm clothing, and are spending most of their time huddling around makeshift fires.

"When we sleep at night, it is terribly cold. We have to get up in between and light a fire to warm ourselves," claimed Raju, a labourer.

Meanwhile, in Mussoorie, temperatures dipped to minus four degrees Celsius, freezing water bodies and water pipes, on Tuesday.

The residents are bitter about the 'strange' weather condition, saying that there was no snowfall despite the freezing temperatures.

"In January, there is usually snowfall. But instead of snow, a dry cold wave is prevailing under which the temperatures are below minus. The water pipesave frozen over. We are experiencing this for the first time ever," said P. S. Rawat, a resident.

Meanwhile, the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway was closed today due to heavy snowfall in the Jawahar tunnel and Shetani drain area.

Over 300 vehicles have been stranded on the Highway due to the blockade caused by snow and mudslides near Ramban.

Border Roads Organisation (BDO) has deployed its personnel to clear the highway.

ANI