Cold wave sweeping north India leaves 2 more dead

With no respite from the cold wave,all schools and colleges in Ghaziabad district were closed till January 16.

Earlier the schools and intermediate colleges were scheduled to open on January 10.

The cold wave intensified in Kashmir division,including in the Ladakh region,with Leh recording a night temperature of minus 20.2 degrees Celsius.

The mercury plunged by seven degrees in Leh town of Ladakh region last night to settle at a minimum of minus 20.2 degrees Celsius compared to yesterday’s low of minus 13 deg C,a MeT department official said.

He said the minimum temperature in nearby Kargil town also dipped by 2.8 degrees last night to settle at minus 15.8 degrees Celsius.In Srinagar,the summer capital of Jammu and Kashmir,the night temperature dipped by more than two degrees and settled at minus 2.2 degrees Celsius. The city had recorded minus 0.1 degrees C yesterday.

The famous hill resort of Pahalgam in south Kashmir was the coldest place in the Valley,recording a low of minus 11.7 degrees C,which was 2.7 degrees lower than yesterday.

Gulmarg,a skiing resort in north Kashmir,recorded a minimum temperature of minus 11 degrees C,which was 3.3 notches down from yesterday,the official said.

The national capital also continued to chill as icy winds blew at a speed of nine km per hour and mercury fell by a few notches.

The minimum temperature fell to 4.7 degree Celsius in Delhi,two degrees below normal for this time,from yesterday’s five degrees. Yesterday was the coldest day in the past five years with the maximum sliding to 11 degrees.

Fog also threw train traffic out of gear in most parts of Punjab and Haryana.

In Haryana,Naranaul was the coldest place with a low of 1.2 degrees Celsius,which was four notches below normal,the Met office said. Ludhiana had a low of 4.5 degrees Celsius,one notch below normal whereas Ambala settled at 4.7 degrees Celsius.

The desert state of Rajasthan also continued to shiver with Mount Abu recording a low of minus 4.2 degrees Celsius,while Churu was coldest in the plains with the minimum settling at 0.4 degrees Celsius.