Dense fog engulfs Delhi, more frosty conditions expected
At least 36 flights have been delayed while three have been cancelled as a thick blanket of fog enveloped Delhi. 50 trains have also been delayed in the national capital.
The Capital recorded its coldest day this year on Sunday and Delhiites are in store for more frosty conditions. Monday too remained cold with minimum temperature hovering around 5.7 degrees Celsius.
Dense fog engulfed the city on Monday and the visibility at the airport runway is below 50 metres.
Meteorological department officials said the maximum temperature in the city settled at 15 degree Celsius, seven notches below normal while the minimum was recorded at 6.4 degree Celsius, two notches below the season's average. On December 19, the maximum was recorded to be 16.4 degree Celsius while the minimum stood at 6.4 degree Celsius.
Rail services were
disrupted owing to the drop in mercury levels with at least 50 trains,
including the North-east Express and Mahabodhi Express, running late due
to a thick blanket of fog. According to reports 12 trains have been rescheduled. 12 flights have also been delayed.
Director of the Meteorological department at Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGIA) R.K. Jenamani said, "Fog and cold conditions have continued to be the same. However, on Sunday the mercury drop was significant as Delhi recorded its coldest day. The maximum temperature stood at 15 degree Celsius while the minimum was recorded to be 6.4.
According to officials at the Safdarjung observatory, visibility had reduced to 600 metres at 5:30 am, 1000 metres at 12 pm and 800 metres at 5:30 pm. "The moisture in the air leads to foggy conditions," Jenamani added.
Jenamani said the fog was likely to intensify and visibility was expected to improve only by late Monday. He also predicted the formation of clouds in the late morning and afternoon of Monday.
The lowest maximum temperature of 13.5 degree Celsius was recorded at the Ridge Centre. Lodhi Road followed at 16.3 and Palam recorded a maximum of 16.6. With respect to minimum temperatures, Lodhi Road topped the charts with 6.3 degree Celsius followed by Aya Nagar with 6.4. Ridge Centre recorded a low of 6.4 degree Celsius .
Garima Sharma, a resident of Malviya Nagar said: "It was really dark and foggy till mid-morning." Humidity oscillated between 65 and 94 per cent.
Intense cold conditions continued unabated in north India on Sunday killing one person in Uttar Pradesh while three others died of suffocation after they lit a coal fire to keep their dwelling warm in Delhi.
Wintry conditions intensified in the national capital as the maximum temperature was recorded at 15 degrees Celsius, seven notches below normal. The minimum settled two notches below the season's average at 6.4 degrees Celsius.
Three persons died of asphyxiation while another is critical in hospital, after they had lit a coal fire (angithi) to keep themselves warm during the night in south Delhi's Hauz Khas area.
The deceased have been identified as Santosh (33), Rajesh (26), and Uday (45). Munna (56), whose condition is critical, is undergoing treatment.
Meanwhile,a 30-year-old man died of cold in Muzaffarnagar of Uttar Pradesh where winter chill and foggy conditions continued to prevail with Nazibabad recording the lowest minimum temperature of the state at 1.5 degrees Celsius.
In Jammu and Kashmir, Chillai-Kalan, 40 days of harshest winter period, started increasing the chances of first snowfall of the season in the Kashmir Valley which has seen dry weather so far.
The minimum temperature, however, rose by over two degrees in Srinagar as the city recorded a low of minus 1.8 degrees Celsius, compared to the previous night's minus 4.4 degrees.
In Himachal Pradesh, bitting cold conditions continued unabated even as the state witnessed a clear day.
Mercury in tribal areas and higher hills stayed 15 to 20 degrees below freezing point while Keylong, Manali and Kalpa recorded a low of minus 7 degrees C, minus 3 degrees C and minus 1.6 degrees C respectively.
All lakes and other natural sources of water like springs, rivulets and tributaries of major rivers remained frozen in high altitude areas, causing sharp reduction in discharge of water in snow-fed Sutlej, Beas and Ravi rivers.
Meanwhile, the authorities have managed to partially restore water supply in Kullu and Manali areas even as power supply remain erratic.
The Border Roads Organisation also opened the Manali- Keylong National Highway at Rohtang Pass even as efforts continue to clear roads in the interior areas of Kullu.
About 150 labourers stranded in under-construction Rohtang Tunnel were rescued and airlifted to Bhuntar. The work at the tunnel has been suspended for the winters.
In Rajasthan, normal life and train services continued to remain hit due to cold conditions, even as people in Churu experienced the coldest night of the winter season so far with the mercury nearing freezing point at 0.5 degrees Celsius.
Mercury again dipped by one to five degrees following northerly cold winds in most parts of the state.
A thick blanket of fog disrupted normal life in Punjab and Haryana as well as air, rail, and road traffic remained adversely affected with temperatures plummeting to below normal limits in the entire region.
The morning flights from Chandigarh Airport were cancelled while several trains criss-crossing the region ran hours behind schedule.
Minimum temperatures in the state hovered between one to five degrees Celsius below normal in the region as chilling conditions confined people indoors. Narnaul was the coldest place with a low of 1.6 degrees, four notches below normal.
Maharashtra village records lowest ever temperature
Even as a cold wave grips the states in north India, the hilly Nandurbar district in north-west Maharashtra is witnessing a drastic mercury drop this year.
Dhab village, which lies in the Satpura mountain range, has recorded temperatures less than 2 degree Celsius. The region had witnessed low temperatures last year but never in history had the mercury dipped so low.
Villages of the regions, not being used to such low temperatures, wear a deserted look most of the time. Farmers and other villagers venture out only after noon and make it a point to get home by early evening. Though the region has not witnessed snowfall, there is a layer of frost that can be seen.
Nandurbar is located
at an average elevation of 210 metres above sea level. It has a hilly
region and also houses Toranmal, which is the second hill station in
Maharashtra after Matheran.