Cold wave continues in North India, five die in Himachal Pradesh due to avalanche

New Delhi: Cold wave conditions persisted in North India on Sunday, where temperature remained variably below normal in most parts of the region. In Himachal, five persons were killed in an avalanche in Kinnaur district Saturday night, officials said, adding upper reaches of the state remained cut off for the fifth day today due to heavy snowfall in past few days.

Traffic could not be restored on the Hindustan-Tibet and Kiratpur-Manali National Highways which were blocked due to snowfall, they added. Keylong was the coldest place in the state with a minimum of minus 12.5 degrees, whereas Manali shivered at minus 6.2 degrees, six notches below normal, Met office said.

The minimum temperature in capital Shimla was recorded at zero degree and the maximum was 8.8 degrees Celsius, they added. Normal life remained affected in most parts of the state due to disruption in supply of electricity and water.

Traffic could not be restored on the Hindustan-Tibet and Kiratpur-Manali highways which were blocked due to snowfall.

In Delhi, the mercury plunged by a degree to settle at 6.3 degrees, while the maximum temperature remained at 18.9 degrees Celsius. Met department forecasts a foggy morning for Monday.

In Jammu and Kashmir, the weather remained mainly dry and no fresh snowfall was reported from any part of the Valley. The minimum temperature in Srinagar was normal at minus 0.5 degrees, while the maximum was recorded at 7.5 degrees Celsius, Met officials said. The weathermen forecast possibility of snow in next few days.

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