Biting cold sweeping north India claimed one more life today, taking the toll to seven, even as travellers experienced another harrowing day with dense fog continuing to play havoc with flight and train schedules leading to cancellations, delays and diversions.
An elderly man died in Muzaffarnagar as cold waves swept Uttar Pradesh, taking the toll to seven in the region in the past two days.
At least 25 domestic and international flights were cancelled, 30 services diverted and over 150 were delayed by up to six hours as thick fog enveloping Indira Gandhi International Airport in Delhi reduced the Runway Visibility Range to less than 100 metres.
Heavy fog also disrupted movement of trains leading to rescheduling of five trains and delaying 55 others.
Owing to low visibility, the railways rescheduled five trains including the Bhopal Shatabdi, Amritsar Shatabdi, Seemanchal Express and Taj Express.
55 trains are running late due to the foggy conditions, including Purshottam Express, Poorva Express, Farakka Express and Sealdah and Howrah Rajdhanis.
A thick cover of fog coupled with a dip in mercury made life difficult for Delhiites, who experienced yet another cold and hazy morning.
The national capital recorded minimum 6.1 degree Celsius.
There was no let up in biting chill in Haryana with Narnaul reeling at a low of 1.5 deg C. Ambala registered a low of 3 deg C, while it was 4.8 deg C in Hisar and 4.6 deg C at Bhiwani. The low at Gurgaon settled at 6.4 deg C.
Piercing chill swept Chandigarh, which recorded a minimum of 5.3 deg C.
In Punjab, unabated cold continued to sweep Amritsar, which recorded a low of 2.4 deg C.
Freezing cold waves also swept Ludhiana, which registered a minimum of 2.6 deg C, while Patiala settled at a low of 4.5 deg C.
Jammu and Kashmir capital, Srinagar, witnessed its coldest night of the season with the mercury plunging to 6.6 deg C below freezing point.
The famous Dal Lake and other water bodies in Kashmir valley were partially frozen as intense cold tightened its grip across the region.
Pahalgam in south Kashmir and Gulmarg in north Kashmir recorded a minimum temperature of minus 7 deg C, followed by Qazigund (minus 6.5 deg C) and Kupwara (minus 5.4 deg C).
Cold wave in Ladakh region also intensified with night temperature in Leh falling to minus 15.2 deg C and Kargil minus 11.0 deg C.
Mercury hovered to near—freezing point in most places in Himachal Pradesh.
While Bhuntar recorded a low of minus 1.7 deg C, it was minus 1.1 deg C in Sundernagar. The state capital Shimla recorded a low of 3.4 deg C.
Keylong in Lahaul and Spiti district recorded a low of minus 6.1 degree, while it was minus 3 deg C at Kalpa in Kinnaur district.
Rajasthan also got no respite from cold conditions with Sriganganagar recording minimum 2.3 deg C.
Elsewhere, Churu recorded 3.1 deg C followed by Tonk (4.2), Bharatpur (7.2) and Barmer (9.3).
