NEW DELHI: The cold wave which has claimed 6 lives so far in northern India continued to maintain its grip over the region and western parts of the country Jan 3 while Kashmir valley, battered by heavy snowfall, began limping back to normal.
Jammu and Kashmir with 28 deaths bore the brunt of the cold fury. Nine persons were killed in Himachal Pradesh, seven in Rajasthan and two in Sultanpur district of Uttar Pradesh.
In Delhi, there was a slight increase in the temperature but that did not provide any relief from the chilly weather.
In Himachal Pradesh, Shimla and several other areas remained without power and water for the fifth day. Partial restoration of electricity was of little help and the main source of water supply was melted ice in the city where mercury dipped by another degree to reach minus six.
Temperatures plunged to minus seven in the hill resort of Mt. Abu in Rajasthan. The lowest temperature in 20 years that froze the popular tourist attraction, Nakki Lake, badly affected normal life and the inflow of visitors.
Kashmir valley hit by the heaviest snowfall since the fast four years is slowly returning back to normalcy. The snowfall which started on last Friday and continued uninterrupted for 36 hours dislocated road power water and communication links for a week. Temperature went down to minus seven in Srinagar freezing the famous Dal Lake.
Article extracted from this publication >> January 11, 1991
