Sunday, December 26 2004 20:08 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

New Delhi: North India groaned under biting cold today (Dec 26, 2004) with temperature plummeting to bone-chilling minus 24 degrees in tribal valleys of Himachal Pradesh and mercury dropping to sub zero level in large parts of Jammu and Kashmir.

In Himachal Pradesh, the twin tribal valleys of Lahaul Spiti and Pangi reeled under biting cold as minimum temperature ranged between minus 16 and minus 24 degrees Celsius while tourist spots of Kinnaur, Lahaul-Spiti, Rohtang Pass and Dhauladhar, Met sources said.

Cold wave sweeping across the Kashmir Valley further intensified and Srinagar recorded a low at minus 4.3 C, two degrees below normal. Jammu was also colder by two degrees at 6.5 C.

Cold wave further intensified in Uttar Pradesh with mercury dipping to five degrees Celsius and foggy weather leading to disruption in flights and train services.

Chilling conditions have already claimed 35 lives in the State.

The minimum temperature in Chandigarh plunged by two degrees to record 6 degree Celsius while Ambala was colder at 5.6 C. Amritsar was coldest zone in the plains as temperature plummeted four degrees below normal to settle at 1.3 C.

Fog threw life out of gear at Amritsar, Udhampur, Jammu, Halwara, Sirsawa, Suratgarh and Bathinda, where the visibility was reduced to almost nil. Foggy conditions also affected life at Pathankot, Chandigarh and Ambala, the Met said.

The minimum temperature came down by 2 degrees in national capital and stood at 7.7 degrees Celsius. However, Delhites woke up to sunny morning after foggy conditions and hazy skies experienced for last two weeks.