Cold wave kills two in Uttar Pradesh

Lucknow, Dec 30 (ANI): Two persons died in different parts of Uttar Pradesh as the cold wave prevailed in most parts of the state, taking the toll to 13 this season.

One person each died in Maharajganj and Ballia overnight. Temperature has dropped by several degrees in Gorakhpur and Varanasi division with heavy fog in the morning and night at a number of places.

While Etawah was coldest in the state at 5.1 degrees Celcius, Lucknow recorded a minimum of 8.5 degrees Celcius.

The Met department said that the city will witness partly cloudy skies and there are also possibilities of drizzle in the next 48 hours.

Meanwhile, heavy snowfall in Himachal Pradesh effectively means that the people hereould not be getting respite from the numbing cold wave.

Shimla has been observing light drizzles of rain since the last few days, and snow fall is expected within 36 to 48 hours.

"Shimla experienced light rains, due to which there has been a dip in temperatures. The conditions would remain as they are for the next two days. However, from tomorrow the impact of western disturbances would be higher. We are expecting heavy snowfall across the region due to this phenomenon," said Manmohan Singh, director of the Shimla Meteorological Department. (ANI)