The Hindu : Cold wave toll crosses 100

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Jan 07, 2003

Other States

Other States - New Delhi

Cold wave toll crosses 100

NEW DELHI JAN. 6 . Mercury sank below normal at many places today as piercing cold wave, which has claimed over 100 lives, persisted in Northern, Central and Eastern regions with dense fog once again playing havoc with road, rail and air traffic.

Two people died overnight in Rajasthan and one each in Kanpur and Allahabad as the countrywide toll from the winter chill topped the hundred-mark.

Uttar Pradesh alone accounted for over 70 deaths as icy winds continued to torment many parts of the State. Kanpur experienced the coldest day of the season with mercury plummeting to 3.8 degrees Celsius. Trains ran four to 10 hours behind schedule in the Industrial town.

Minimum temperature fell by one degree Celsius in tourist resort of Mount Abu in Rajasthan where the chilly weather has so far consumed six lives. Mount Abu recorded a low of two degrees Celsius followed by Ganganagar three and Bikaner four degrees.

Eleven people have died so far in Bihar where cold wave conditions worsened with mercury plummeting to nine degrees below normal in Patna. Gwalior was the coldest place in Madhya Pradesh.

CHANDIGARH: Most places in northern region remained engulfed in dense fog adversely affecting the normal life even as the Met Office predicted no respite from the ongoing cold conditions for at least next two days. ``It is unlikely that weather is going to change for at least next two days in the plains of Punjab and Haryana and we should expect some fog in the morning and towards late evenings while days will also remain cold,'' the Director of the meteorological department, S C Bhan, told PTI.

Amritsar witnessed a maximum of 9.4 degrees Celsius and a minimum of 4.2 degrees Celsius. Ludhiana had a high of 12.9 degrees Celsius and a low of 3.9 degrees Celsius. Patiala registered a high of 12.5 and a low of 4.5 degrees Celsius.

Bad weather once again forced cancellation of Indian Airlines' flight from here to Goa and Jet Airways' flight to Mumbai. ``We have been able to operate our flights only on Friday. For rest of the days, the flights had to be cancelled due to bad weather,'' IA's station manager B P Nautiyal said.

A cold and cloudy day greeted Chandigarh residents this morning and the day temperature was recorded at 15.8 degrees Celsius while the low touched 8.0 degrees Celsius.

Srinagar shivered with a low of 5 degrees Celsius below the freezing point as cold wave swept most parts of Kashmir Valley. Jammu also had a cold night at 4.8 degrees Celsius.

Ambala and Hisar in Haryana, too, had little respite recording respective minimum at 5.0 degrees Celsius and 5.8 degrees Celsius.

LUCKNOW: Twenty-six people died in the severe cold wave sweeping Uttar Pradesh taking the toll to 87, official sources said. Five persons died in Azamgarh, three each in Gorakhpur, Chandauli and Mathura, four in Mirzapur, two each in Varanasi, Sonebhadra and Bhadohi and one each in Allahabad and Kanpur.

Jhansi recorded the lowest temperature of 3 degrees Celsius while Lucknow shivered at 5 degrees Celcius, MET office said.

A thick layer of fog enveloped almost the entire State resulting in a drop in day temperature. In Lucknow the day temperature was 13 degrees Celsius almost 8 degrees below normal. -- PTI

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

Other States

Stories in this Section

Cold wave toll crosses 100

Bid to make cops people-friendly

Call to tackle cattle menace

Spotlight on right to food

Auctioning goes electronic at Azadpur mandi

Row in MCD over transfer of hospitals