The intense cold wave has claimed at least 26 lives in Bihar since Saturday. The bone-chilling north-westerly winds continued blowing across the state, sending temperatures tumbling further down early on Monday, officials said. "The inclement weather claimed 11 lives Sunday and six people were reported dead early Monday. As many as nine people lost their lives due to the cold weather conditions Saturday," said an official of the state disaster management department in Patna.

The official said the cold wave claimed six people each in Darbhanga and Kaimur district, seven in Nalanda, four in Saran, two in Shekhpura and one in Vaishali district.

"The icy north-westerly winds will continue to blow over the state for another 24 hours," said AK Sen, a Met department official here.

The official said that Monday's lowest temperature in Bihar was recorded in Darbhanga district at 2.6 degrees Celsius, while the state capital Patna recorded a low of four degrees Celsius.

In view of the prevailing cold wave, classes from one to four in all public and private schools in Patna were suspended till January 9, while other classes have been re-scheduled, Patna District Magistrate Sanjay Kumar Singh said.

Last month, the cold wave had claimed nearly two dozen lives in the state.