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It's freezing point in Agra, Kanpur

Educational institutions in Mathura, Meerut, Aligarh, Agra, Mahoba, Bareilly closed

Lucknow: With the mercury reaching freezing point in Agra and Kanpur, the deadly cold wave sweeping Uttar Pradesh claimed16 lives and consequently taking the season's toll to 122.

As many as 16 more people reportedly succumbed to intense cold during the last 24 hours, including eight in Moradabad, two each in Kanpur and Hardoi and one each in Meerut, Bareilly, Bulandshahar and Mahoba

The mercury continued to decline across the State which recorded three to seven degrees below normal night temperatures. Agra at zero degree Celsius (-7) and Kanpur at 0.2 degrees (-6) stood coldest in the State, followed by Varanasi and Lucknow with three degrees, that was five and four degrees respectively below normal and Allahabad and Gorakhpur, which recorded four degree below normal temperature, State Met Office told UNI here.

The biting cold powered by icy westerlies and dense fog also cast its spell on agriculture in the State, besides affecting rail and road transport in various parts.

Keeping in mind the deadly cold and no likelihood of any respite from it within the next 24 hours, educational institutions in Mathura, Meerut, Aligarh, Agra, Mahoba and Bareilly district have been closed.

The weatherman had forecast no respite from cold over the next 24 hours.

According to a report from New Delhi, several areas in Punjab remained fog-bound, resulting in reduced visibility.

Cold surface winds blew across the north-west region during the day.

Authorities have ordered the closure of all educational institutions in Karnal district till January 12.

The mercury continued to dip across north India, with Jalandhar being the coldest place in the region at minus 1.0 degree Celsius followed by Amritsar (0.4 degrees) and Bhatinda (0.8 degrees).

There was no respite from the cold wave sweeping Jammu and Kashmir with Srinagar recording minus 2.7 degrees and Jammu 6.2 degrees, two degrees below normal. People in Kashmir valley witnessed the coldest day of the season as the maximum temperature plummeted to 0.2 degrees against the minimum of minus 2.7 degrees. The narrow gap in the maximum and minimum temperatures has 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 minus 0.2 degrees and Sundernagar in Mandi district 1.2 degrees. However, the mercury further rose in the capital town of Shimla showing 7.3 degrees, five degrees above normal, against 6.2 degrees recorded on Sunday.

The cold wave conditions prevailing in parts of Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh and Delhi are likely to abate in the next two days, according to the Weather Office. It has predicted light to moderate rain or snow at few places in Himachal Pradesh and rain or thundershowers at isolated places in Haryana and Punjab during the next 48 hours.

Minimum temperature was three to four degrees below normal across Madhya Pradesh. Cold wave was experienced in the Gwalior-Chambal region where the mercury plummetted to three to four degrees at several stations. Cold wave conditions prevailed in Rewa, Sagar and Hoshangabad divisions.

Pilani in Jhunjhunu district recorded minus two degree and Churu with minus 1.6 degree is reeling under sub-zero temperature for the last four days.

The sole hill station in the Rajasthan, Mount Abu, is reeling under sub-zero temperature and capital Jaipur has maintained three degree Celcius for the third time this winter.

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