Wednesday, January 11 2006 18:23 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Kolkata: Most parts of West Bengal continued to reel under severe cold spell, with mercury dipping to 5.8 degrees celsius in the western Purulia district today, lowest after Darjeeling which recorded 2 degrees celsius, amidst reports of a total three deaths so far in the state.

Attributing the sharp drop in the temperature to western disturbance, weatherman said that mercury dipped to a new low of 7.8 degrees celsius in Dum Dum in the northern outskirts of Kolkata, followed by 8 degrees in Krishnagar, 8.2 degrees in both Mogra and Sriniketan, 8.3 degrees in Burdwan.

While it was 2 degrees celsius in the queen of the hill station Darjeeling, the tourists felt the chill in the sea resort of Digha which registered 10.2 degrees celsius as the minimum temperature.

Kolkattans continued to shiver in the chill with the mercury touching 11.1 degrees celsius, as against yesterday's 11 degrees.

A Purulia report said that a woman died of intense cold at Amboni village under Arsa block in Purulia district, raising the toll to three in the last few days.