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Jan 2005
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Bone-chilling cold wave has north India reeling again


People in Amritsar sit beside fire to beat the intense cold wave. Mercury touched a freezing minus 2.6 degrees C in the city and mild rain was also reported.	A couple walking through a snow covered road in Kullu in Himachal Pradesh. The northern parts of the country is having a fresh cold wave and heavy snowfall.

Amritsar: Northern India experienced a bone- chilling cold this morning as a cold wave and heavy snowfall in the Himalayan reaches brought temperatures down several degrees in the region, especially in Punjab. Amritsar, the principal city of Punjab, recorded the lowest termperature in the plains as mercury levels plummeted four degrees below normal to settle at 1.3 degrees Celsius. Motorists and two-wheelers had a tough time braving the cold wind while on their way to their places of work. The cold wave has specially hit people living below the poverty line. People gathered around roadside fires to keep away the chill, while shops did brisk business by selling woolen garments.

"The cold wave is back, so people need woolen garments. The customers are back buying jackets," said Harmeet Singh, a shopkeeper. While mercury levels in India are mild by European standards, they can prove deadly to thousands of homeless or those who live in makeshift shacks. The lack of good food tends to worsen the cold's impact, lowering body heat and causing instances of hypothermia.

Manali, a prominent tourist resort with some excellent and well- equipped accommodation choices, has been receiving fresh snowfall for the past two days. People enjoyed the milky white snow despite slight problems associated to heavy snowfall. "We are enjoying a lot here," said Alka, a tourist. "There are a few problems we face during snowfall, but we are enjoying," said S.D.Sharma, a tourist.

Meanwhile, a high alert was sounded in the upper reaches of Himachal Pradesh on Friday (January 21), fearing a possible avalanche. Scientists at the Snow and Avalanche Study Establishment (SASE) issued warning of a blizzard and avalanches in the upper reaches of Himalayas over the next two days.
- Jan 23, 2005

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