Cold wave in northern India leaves over 125 dead

New Delhi, Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jan 5 (ANI): With temperatures dipping below normal and snowfall witnessed in the upper reaches of Himachal Pradesh and the Kashmir valley, the normal life was disturbed for the fourth consecutive day and over 125 deaths were reported from across the country.

Around 40 deaths were reported from Uttar Pradesh during the last twenty-four hours. Eight people died in Bihar and two deaths were reported from Haryana.

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has ordered all schools to be closed for three days from today in view of the cold.

In Rajasthan, light showers led to a further dip in temperature with mercury dripping up to seven degrees in Pilani and Dholpur and are below ten in rest of the State.

In Punjab, all schools have been closed till January 8 due to cold.

The officials of the Meteorological department said that the cold waves have swept Himachal Pradesh due to heavy snowfall in the upper reaches.

While rains lashed the lower areas, breaking the long dry spell and bringing cheer to farmers ahead of Rabi sowing, Shimla had a sunny morning after a night temperature of 2.1 deg C. A large number of tourists thronged Kufri, 16 km from here, to enjoy the season's first snowfall.

In Uttarakhand, rains and snowfall intensified the cold conditions affecting normal life.

Delhi recorded a minimum temperature of 9.6 degree Celsius, while morning mist reduced visibility to 1,000 meters, but there was no disruption in flight operations at the Indira Gandhi airport.

The traffic was suspended on the 300 kilometer Srinagar-Jammu national highway on Monday due to slippery conditions caused by heavy snowfall, leaving hundreds of trucks, passenger buses and tourist vehicles stranded. (ANI)