COLD: 30 dead in Uttar Pradesh as temperatures sink close to freezing

Indian Sikh devotees visit the fog-wrapped Golden Temple in Amritsar on December 24, 2012. Seasonal heavy fog and cold weather disturbed train, bus and air schedules in northern India and claimed lives as temperatures dipped towards freezing. Photo: Narinder Nanu/AFP/Getty Images

IANS

LUCKNOW — The cold wave sweeping through Uttar Pradesh has claimed more than 30 lives in a 24-hour span, officials here said Thursday.

The greatest number of deaths between Wednesday and Thursday morning, when the temperature dropped below 4 C, were reported from Bhadohi district, where five people succumbed to the cold.

As many as four people died in Balia and three each in Allahabad, Mirzapur, Sonebhadra, Ghazipur, Barabanki, Chandauli and Azamgarh districts. Shrawasti and Mau districts have reported one deaths each, a state government official said.

Day temperatures in the region were less than 10 C. Thick fog cover has receded in some regions, but cold winds continued to add to the troubles of the people.

The Meteorological Office in the state capital Lucknow does not see any respite from the cold weather conditions in coming days. A weather official said the dense fog in the state would make things “far more difficult” in the next few days.

Although the state government has made arrangements of shelter homes and bonfires for the poor and the homeless, 37 people perished after the cold wave conditions set in across the state last week.

The thick fog cover has also hit the rail and air traffic in the state. Many trains were running behind schedule, especially those coming from Punjab, Bihar and Delhi, a railways official said.

Tags: Cold, India, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, Weather