NEW DELHI, Dec 19: Cold wave conditions continued unabated across north India despite marginal rise in mercury in several places with Kullu-Manali region of Himachal Pradesh remaining without power and water supply for seventh day in a row today.
Although mercury rose marginally in Leh and Kargil, and several areas of Rajasthan, there was no respite from cold conditions prevailing in the region. Dense fog in vast areas of Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh also added to the woes.
Cold wave coupled with overcast conditions gave Delhiites no respite from the winter chill with the minimum temperature settling at 7.4 degrees Celsius, one notch below the season’s average. The maximum settled six notches below normal at 16.4 degrees Celsius.
Early in the morning, several parts of the capital were enveloped in dense fog affecting movement of road and rail traffics due to low visibility.
Most parts of Himachal Pradesh groaned under arctic conditions as intense cold wave continued unabated in the region despite marginal rise in mercury. Normal life remained crippled in Kullu-Manali region as water and electricity supply and other services could not be restored for the seventh day today.
The National Highway-21 was blocked beyond Manali due to heavy snow and 83 roads in interior areas of Kullu district were still closed due to heavy snow.
High altitude tribal areas and other high mountain passes reeled under piercing cold wave conditions as mercury stayed between minus 15 and minus 20 degrees Celsius. Dharamsala recorded a minimum of 4.8 degrees and Shimla 6.4 degrees C.
There was slight respite from bone-chilling cold in Leh and Kargil in the frontier Ladakh region too as the night temperatures rose by two degrees, while cold wave continued unabated in the Kashmir Valley which is experiencing sub-zero nights.
Leh continued to be the coldest place in the state as it recorded a minimum temperature of minus 12.5 degrees Celsius, an increase of two degrees from the previous night. Kargil was the second coldest place recording a low of minus 12.1 degrees Celsius, an increase of over two degrees from minus 14.4 degrees Celsius the previous night.
Srinagar, the summer capital of Jammu and Kashmir, registered the minimum temperature of minus 4.2 degrees Celsius, same as of the previous night. (Agencies)
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