The Hindu : New Delhi News : Cold wave persists, respite in some areas

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, Dec 30, 2004

New Delhi

New Delhi

Cold wave persists, respite in some areas

NEW DELHI, DEC. 29. Intense cold wave conditions persisted in most parts of North India today, claiming six more lives in Uttar Pradesh, as dense fog in the national capital played havoc with flights and train services.

However, some parts of Rajasthan and Himachal Pradesh got a respite from biting cold following rise in temperatures.

Three people died in Varanasi, two in Pratapgarh and one in Jaunpur since last night as cold wave persisted in the plains of U.P., taking the toll this winter to 58 in the State. Mercury dipped to three degrees C at Sultanpur while the rest of the State too experienced below normal temperatures.

Minimum temperature hovered between one to four degrees below normal in most parts of Punjab and Haryana, with mercury plunging to zero degree C in Amritsar, coldest in the region.

Foggy weather led to several trains running behind the schedule. Sixteen people were injured when a bus collided with a truck in thick fog on Hoshiarpur-Tanda road this morning.

The entire tribal belt in Himachal Pradesh comprising Kinnaur, Lahaul-Spiti and Pangi and other higher hills continued to reel under cold wave but mid and lower hills got some relief following a rise in temperature.

Mercury level rose by one to four degree celsius in most parts of Rajasthan, lessening cold wave conditions. Minimum temperature rose to 6 degree C last night from freezing point a night earlier in Pilani.

The death toll in the current cold wave-like condition sweeping Bihar rose to 19 with reports of two more deaths in Shekhpura district today.

The dipping mercury and consequent severe chill has claimed six lives in Sitamarhi district followed by five in Vaishali, four in Madhubani and two in Gopalganj.

The state government has since issued orders to arrange bonfire in public places to facilitate the poor people although no report of compliance of the order had been received. The National Capital shivered as the mercury plummeted to 4.5 degree Celsius this morning, the lowest so far this season. Dense fog forced delay and diversion of some flights and cancellation of eight trains.

Mughalsarai-Bareilly Express, Lal Quila Express between Delhi and Mughalsarai and Unchahar Express between Ambala and Allahabad had been cancelled both ways.

New Delhi-Rewa Express, Delhi-Farukkabad Kalindi Express, Howrah-Delhi Janta Express, Bhiwani-Malda Farakka Express and Sriganganagar -Delhi Udyan Abha Express also stood cancelled, a Northern Railway statement said. More than 10 trains were running hours behind schedule, the Northern Railway statement said.

While the Mahananda Express from New Jalpaiguri to Delhi was 18 hours late, Sultanpur-Delhi Sadbhawana Express and Darbhanga-Delhi Shaheed Express were over nine hours and 12 hours behind schedule respectively. The departure of the Mahananda Express from here had been rescheduled by eight hours, the statement said.

-- PTI & UNI

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

New Delhi