Chandigarh, January 9
Freezing cold wave conditions, prevailing in many parts of north-west India for the past fortnight, continued today without any let-up as the mercury hovered six degrees below normal in Punjab and Delhi.
Several areas in the region remained fog-bound, resulting in reduced visibility. The visibility was zero at Sarsawa in the wake of foggy weather and up to 200 metres at Adampur, 300 metres at Ambala, 500 metres at Hindon, 800 metres at Chandigarh and Sirsa and 750 metres at Palam in Delhi.
The mercury dipped by five degrees below normal at Chandigarh recording 2°C while Haryana reported two to three degrees below normal temperature.
Cold winds blew across the region during the day as sun afforded little warmth to people in the plains while clouds
draped Himachal Pradesh.
The authorities have ordered closure of all educational institutions in Karnal district till January 12 and primary schools in Delhi up to January 11 in the wake of piercing cold wave lashing Haryana and the national Capital.
The cold wave currently sweeping the region has already claimed the lives of 14 persons in Punjab, Haryana and Himachal Pradesh while 12 others were killed in fog-related incidents during this winter.
People shivered under the spine-chilling cold wave in Punjab today. Jalandhar at -1°C was still the coldest place in the state, followed by Amritsar recording 0.4°C four degrees down. Ludhiana and Patiala reported six degrees below normal temperature,
registering 1°C and 0.8°C respectively. Intense cold wave sweeped Delhi although the temperature rose slightly from yesterday’s low of 0.2°C to 1.4°C. The national Capital had experienced the coldest day yesterday in the last 70 years. In Haryana, biting cold wave continued to sweep the state with Ambala reporting three degrees below normal temperature at 4°C while
Hisar recorded 2.8°C, two degrees down.
There was no respite from the cold wave sweeping Jammu and Kashmir with Srinagar recording -2.7°C and Jammu 6.2°C, two degrees below normal. People in the Kashmir valley witnessed the coldest day of the season as the maximum temperature plummeted to 0.2°C against the minimum of -2.7°C. The narrow gap in the maximum and minimum temperatures have further intensified the cold wave in the valley.
Himachal Pradesh continued to be under the impact of cold wave conditions with Bhuntar in Kullu district recording -0.2°C and Sundernagar in Mandi district 1.2°C. However, the mercury further rose in Shimla showing 7.3°C, five degrees above normal, against 6.2°C recorded yesterday.
— UNI
