<p> A cold wave continued to shiver people across Uttar Pradesh Thursday as the mercury dropped at most places. Eighteen people died due to intense cold taking the toll to 70.<br />Most parts of the state were enveloped with fog, crippling road and rail transport.<br /><br /></p>.<p> The arrival of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is arriving in his parliamentary constituency Varanasi Thursday, was also delayed by over an hour due to poor visibility. <br />More than three dozen trains were late and the flights schedule was also hit.<br /><br />The minimum temperature here was 2.5 degrees Celsius Wednesday as scores of Christians braved the inclement weather to attend midnight masses in churches across the city. <br />The Met Office has forecast similar weather in the coming days.<br /><br />The severe cold has led to the death of 18 people since Wednesday. The deaths were reported from Jaunpur, Mirzapur, Bhadohi, Varanasi, Chandauli and Ghazipur. The toll due to cold-related deaths this week has risen to 70, officials said.<br /><br />The cold wave has intensified in the eastern parts of the state. Muzaffarnagar was the coldest in the state with 2.4 degrees Celsius and state capital Lucknow was a close second with 2.5 degrees celsius.<br /><br />Meerut recorded a low of 3.1 degrees Celsius, while it was 3.7 degrees Celsius in Kanpur.</p>
<p> A cold wave continued to shiver people across Uttar Pradesh Thursday as the mercury dropped at most places. Eighteen people died due to intense cold taking the toll to 70.<br />Most parts of the state were enveloped with fog, crippling road and rail transport.<br /><br /></p>.<p> The arrival of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is arriving in his parliamentary constituency Varanasi Thursday, was also delayed by over an hour due to poor visibility. <br />More than three dozen trains were late and the flights schedule was also hit.<br /><br />The minimum temperature here was 2.5 degrees Celsius Wednesday as scores of Christians braved the inclement weather to attend midnight masses in churches across the city. <br />The Met Office has forecast similar weather in the coming days.<br /><br />The severe cold has led to the death of 18 people since Wednesday. The deaths were reported from Jaunpur, Mirzapur, Bhadohi, Varanasi, Chandauli and Ghazipur. The toll due to cold-related deaths this week has risen to 70, officials said.<br /><br />The cold wave has intensified in the eastern parts of the state. Muzaffarnagar was the coldest in the state with 2.4 degrees Celsius and state capital Lucknow was a close second with 2.5 degrees celsius.<br /><br />Meerut recorded a low of 3.1 degrees Celsius, while it was 3.7 degrees Celsius in Kanpur.</p>