Delhi experiences coldest day in 70 years

    New Delhi: The national Capital, New Delhi, on Sunday morning experienced the coldest day in 70 years with the mercury dipping to 0.2 degree Celsius. The Meteorological Department said the Palam region recorded the low temperature of 0.2 degree Celsius, seven degrees below normal, during midnight on Saturday. The maximum temperature was 18.7 degrees, two degrees below normal. Before this the lowest temperature in Delhi was recorded in January 1935, when the mercury dropped to minus 0.6 degree Celsius. Although the sun shone brightly later in the day, temperature remained below normal. Visibility in the capital, however, was normal with no fog, enabling the smooth movement of domestic and international flights to and from Delhi's Indira Gandhi International Airport.

   Meanwhile, severe cold weather conditions persisted in North India with temperatures falling to one to six degrees Celsius at several places, increasing the toll from cold wave to 120 as seven more people succumbed to the winter chill. All the seven new casualties were from Uttar Pradesh taking the toll in the State due to cold wave to 99. Agra recorded a low of one degree Celsius. Also, the mercury dipped further by two to six degrees Celsius in Gorakhpur, Varanasi, Allahabad and Lucknow. The cold wave across north India has caused snowfall in the upper reaches of the country. People in Jammu and Kashmir are battling severe winter conditions where the temperatures have fallen to nearly minus two degree Celsius at many places. The problems of the people in Jammu and Kashmir have compounded due to breakdown in power and water supply. The Power Development Department managed to restore power supply to essential services like hospitals. However, a large number of electric polls have been damaged and officials have not been able to reach the remote areas as the roads are blocked due to snowfall. The layer of frozen water of the famous Dal Lake in Srinagar thickened further raising the possibility of its complete freezing. Earlier in 1964 and 1986 Dal Lake had frozen. In Himachal Pradesh, cold wave continued unabated with mercury hovering between sub-zero and 0.8 degree Celsius in Sundernagar and Bhuntar. State capital Shimla had a low of 4.4 degree Celsius. Icy winds swept the region as night time temperature at Adampur in Jalandhar district of Punjab plunged to minus four degree Celsius, the lowest in 34 years. The last lowest temperature in Adampur was recorded minus 5.2 degree Celsius on January 6, 1972.

   The cold fury had so far claimed 17 lives in Punjab and four in Haryana. The minimum temperatures in Ludhiana and Patiala have plummeted to 1.5 and 1.3 degree Celsius, respectively, six degrees below normal. Though people basked in the warmth of bright sun in Chandigarh, the cold wave has also caught up in Chandigarh, the minimum temperature dropping to 1.8 degrees Celsius, which is five degrees below normal. Freezing cold maintained its tight grip in Haryana with Karnal turning out to be the coldest place recording a low of 1.3 degree Celsius. Hisar reeled at 3.1 degree Celsius and Ambala at 3.8 degree Celsius. Severe cold wave conditions prevailed in Rajasthan with Churu shivering at minus three degree Celsius. State capital Jaipur had a slight respite with the minimum temperature inching upwards marginally to settle at four degree Celsius. Bikaner reeled at one degree Celsius and Sawai Maodhopur and Sriganganagar at two degree each. The minimum temperature in Jaisalmer and Jodhpur stayed at five degree Celsius each. According to the meteorological department the chilly winds are likely to continue for some more days, as the northwesterly winds continue to add to the cold weather conditions.

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