The Hindu : New Delhi News : Winter chill returns, 2 more die in UP

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Monday, Jan 17, 2011
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Winter chill returns, 2 more die in UP

Blocked roads and sub-zero temperatures in Himachal affect normal life

Inside Shimla: A milkman treks on a snow-covered road after a snowfall on Sunday.- Photo: PTI

New Delhi: Winter chill returned on Sunday in most of the northern States as the cold wave pushed mercury to record lows in Shimla and Pahalgam and claimed two more lives in Uttar Pradesh.

Two more persons died -one each from Hardoi and Deoria - in Uttar Pradesh, taking the death toll in the State this winter to 132, officials said.

Winds brought back chill in the air in the national Capital with the day temperature dropping to 18.2 degrees, three degrees below normal, from Saturday's 21.3 degrees.

The Kashmir Valley was gripped by an intense cold wave with temperature coming down to a record low of minus 16.1 degrees in Pahalgam resort, resulting in partial freezing of the Dal lake and other water bodies in the State, a Met official said.

Pahalgam in south Kashmir recorded its coldest night of this winter as mercury plunged by nearly 14 degrees since the previous night.

Gulmarg in north Kashmir also saw a sharp dip in minimum temperature as mercury fell to 14.2 degrees below freezing point compared to Saturday's minus 10.6 degrees.

Srinagar also saw the night temperature settle at minus 3.7 degrees. Kupwara froze at minus 8.1 degrees, while Qazigund recorded a minimum of minus 7.6 degrees.

However, residents of Ladakh, which is the coldest region in the State, got some respite from the cold wave as night temperature increased by a couple of degrees in both Leh and Kargil district town headquarters.

While Kargil recorded a minimum of minus 13.4 degrees compared to Saturday's minus 16.4 degrees, Leh had a night temperature of minus 8.0 degrees -1.4 degrees higher than the Saturday night.

The sudden plunge in the minimum temperature across the Valley was due to the heavy snowfall on Friday, which had brought the minimum temperature close to freezing point.

After three days of rain and snow, weather in Himachal Pradesh cleared on Sunday but blocked roads and sub-zero temperatures in higher reaches affected normal life.

All roads beyond Shimla were blocked due to heavy snow, while traffic to Manali, Dharamshala and Chail was disrupted because of slippery roads.

Shimla experienced its coldest night in four years with mercury settling at minus 3.3 degrees, five notches below normal.

The tourist resorts of Kufri, Fagu and Narkanda were covered under a thick snow blanket with Solang ski slopes receiving 120cm to 150cm of snow.

Lahual and Spiti and Pangi Valleys reeled under extreme cold conditions with mercury settling between minus 17 and minus 23 degrees. In Keylong and Kalpa, the minimum was minus 12.7 and minus 9 degrees.

Avalanche threat looms large over high altitude areas in the tribal belt and people have been advised to stay indoors.

The minimum temperature in most parts of Punjab and Haryana plummeted by up to three degrees, throwing normal life out of gear.

Amritsar was the coldest in the plains of Punjab and Haryana, with the minimum temperature in most parts of the two States falling by up to three degrees, throwing normal life out of gear.

Meanwhile, foggy conditions returned to the region as dense fog threw normal life out of gear at several places, including Rohtak, Karnal, Ludhiana, Patiala and Amritsar.

Chittorgarh was the coldest place in Rajasthan with a minimum temperature of 2.5 degrees , a Met official said.

Churu and Sriganganagar recorded a low of 2.6 and 2.9 degrees respectively, while Bikaner, Jodhpur and Jaipur recorded a night temperature of 3.1, 4.2 and 4.5 degrees, respectively. PTI

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