Cold wave, fog: Over 70 trains delayed, 7 die in UP, Punjab

NEW DELHI: A dense blanket of fog enveloped the entire North affecting schedule of at least 70 trains and hitting road traffic adversely while there was no let up in cold wave today which claimed five lives in Uttar Pradesh and two in Punjab.

Delhi recorded the second lowest temperature of the season with mercury dipping to 4.8 degrees Celsius, three notches below the normal level.

The maximum temperature settled at 19.2 degrees Celsius, two degrees higher than yesterday. The city had recorded its lowest minimum temperature at 4.2 degrees Celsius on December 22.

Foggy conditions were witnessed in several parts of the city which affected about 50 north-bound trains.

In the plains of UP, cold wave coupled with dense fog continued to wreck havoc. Five persons were killed in Barabanki district last night.

Three persons including a home guard died of severe cold in different parts of Barabanki, a spokesman of the district administration said.

The rest two were killed in an accident caused due to poor visibility last night.

The lowest minimum temperature in the state was recorded at 2.8 degrees in Agra.

Cold conditions continued unabated in Punjab and Haryana as fog affected schedule of several trains and flight.

Several trains, including Shatabdi Express from New Delhi, were delayed, a railway spokesperson said, adding, Howrah-Kalka Mail is also running late by 11 hours.

Four flights -- two of Jet Airways from and to Delhi and one each of Jet Airways from Mumbai and Indigo from Bangalore were cancelled, while a number of other flights were expected to land in Chandigarh behind the schedule, an official said.

Hisar was the coldest place in Haryana today, recording a minimum temperature of 1.8 degrees which is four notches below normal, a MeT official said. Chandigarh settled at 6.2 degree Celsius.

Rajasthan also reeled under cold wave and fog and 18 trains were running late under the North Western Railway and four trains were partially cancelled, a NWR spokesperson said today.

The mercury dipped to 0.6 degrees in Churu, while Mount Abu's low settled at 2 degree Celsius.