Cold wave continues in N India, toll touches 93

Ninety-one deaths occurred in Uttar Pradesh alone – three of them were on Sunday. Two persons died in Himachal Pradesh.

The severe cold wave in north India has cost 93 lives so far. Ninety-one deaths occurred in Uttar Pradesh alone – three of them were on Sunday. Two persons died in Himachal Pradesh.

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In Uttar Pradesh, the cold wave, coupled with icy winds, took the temperature close to sub-zero in many pockets.

The night temperature fell appreciably in the Varanasi, Kanpur and Lucknow divisions, said officials of the meteorological department. Agra, which recorded a minimum temperature of 1.4 degrees Celsius, was the coldest spot in the state.

Along with Delhi, Chandigarh too celebrated the coldest Christmas in recent memory, with the minimum temperature dipping to 2.8 degrees Celsius.

Tourists were a disappointed lot in Shimla, which again missed its date with snow and recorded a minimum temperature of 2.8 degrees Celsius on Christmas. The weatherman has ruled out the possibility of snowfall in for another three to four days.

Keylong, headquarters of Lahaul & Spiti district, remained the coldest place in Himachal Pradesh, recording a minimum of –6.3 degrees Celsius.

After enduring the lowest temperature of the month on Friday and Saturday, Dehradun got a reprieve, with the minimum temperature climbing to 4.5 degrees Celsius on Sunday. Pantnagar remained the coldest place in the Uttarakhand, with the mercury hovering at 1.4 degrees Celsius.

Rajasthan, too, continued to reel under the cold wave. Churu was the coldest spot in the state, recording a minimum temperature of -1.4 degrees Celsius.

(With PTI inputs)