JOIN USPiercing cold wave conditions continued unabated across North India on Friday.
Mercury dipped substantially in Haryana, where two persons died of cold, even as thick cover of fog severely affected road and rail traffic.
Nearly 100 trains were either cancelled or delayed in the northern region due to low visibility caused by dense fog.
Delhiites woke up to another chilly morning with the minimum temperature settling two notches below the season’s average at 6.3 degrees Celsius. The maximum in the national capital stood at 16 degrees Celsius.
Moderate to dense fog engulfed Delhi and its neighbouring areas disrupting rail and road traffic. While eight trains were cancelled, 79 were running late. Several trains have been rescheduled due to late running of the corresponding train.
Bitting cold wave swept across Punjab and Haryana with mercury dipping in most areas. Two unidentified street-beggars were suspected to have died of cold in Ambala. Police have recovered the body and sent for post-mortem.
Thick fog, which has in the past few days affected normal movement of road, rail and air traffic, also prevailed at most places in the two states early on Friday.
Minimum temperature in Chandigarh settled at 5 degrees Celsius, even as freezing cold swept throughout the day. Narnaul in Haryana recorded minimum temperature at 2 degrees Celsius.
In Ambala, it was 5.9 degrees and 6 degrees in Karnal. Amritsar in Punjab also reeled under cold weather conditions with the minimum temperature settling at 4.8 degrees. In Rajasthan, minimum temperature dipped as low as 1.3 degree Celsius at Pilani in Sikar district. Churu recorded 1.5 degree Celsius followed by Ganganagar shivering at 4.8 degree Celsius. Mount Abu recorded five degree Celsius, one degree below average.