Cold waves condition intensifies in northern India

NEW DELHI - The northern parts of the country have been hit by biting cold waves, with reports claiming that temperature dipped down to minimum at many places, while some other places remained blanketed by thick fog in the region.

According to reports, locals have been noticed shivering as cold wave intensifies in Shimla in Himachal Pradesh this morning.

Tourists are enjoying the chilly weather and are expecting to get fresh snowfall as the temperature dipped to 3.1 degree Celsius in the region. Many of them were left disappointed as the city went without a “white” Christmas yesterday.

“The weather in Shimla is very chilly and we are enjoying the cold wave. The mercury is dipping day by day and we are hoping snowfalls by today (December 26) night. We have come from Delhi and we are enjoying a lot,” said Rajat, a tourist from Delhi, said.

Amritsar, Ludhiana, Ambala, Bhivani, Hisar and Karnal remained blanketed by fog for a considerable time, while Patiala experienced mist, delaying people’s emergence from their homes.

Last night temperatures also remained low at Amritsar recording 2.5 degrees, one degree below normal, while Ludhiana and Bathinda recorded 4.2 degrees each, two degrees below normal. Patiala registered the night temperature at 4.5 degrees and border town of Pathankot 4.6 degrees.

Haryana also experienced cold conditions with Narnaul recording the minimum temperature at 3.1 degrees, followed by Ambala registering 4 degrees, three degrees below normal. The minimum settled at 5.4 degrees in Karnal, 6.1 degrees at Rohtak, 6.7 degrees at Hisar and 9.1 degrees at Gurgaon.

Meanwhile, residents of Patna city in India’s eastern state of Bihar cozily wrapped themselves in many layers of sweaters and mufflers, to beat the cold wave.

“We stay here on the pavement. We blaze grass to warm ourselves because we don’t get wood easily, so we blaze grass to be warmed. And stay on the pavements,” said Bihari Prasad, a pavement dweller in Patna. (ANI)