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Severe cold grips North India

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ANI NewDelhi/Poonch/Shimla

New Delhi and other parts of north India continued to reel from a severe cold wave with icy winds plummeting temperatures further on Friday.

The landscape remained snowy in northern states of Jammu and Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh, with most parts experiencing sub-zero temperatures.

Residents in Poonch District of Jammu and Kashmir complained about the freezing conditions.

"It is extremely cold here. The water is frozen. The entire area has been covered with snow. It has become difficult to live over here," said a resident, Mohammed Yasin.

According to media reports, some people have also died due to the prevailing chill in the northern states.

 

In Srinagar, national highways and some roads were closed by authorities after many areas received about a foot of snowfall.

Only stranded vehicles were allowed to move along these roads.

In Himachal Pardesh, the temperature remained two degrees below normal.

"Snowfall up to one to two feet has been recorded and as a result, there is a dip in the temperature. The temperature is two to three degrees below normal. The lowest temperature has been recorded at Keylong in Lahaul and Spiti District. Temperatures at the places on the higher altitudes have dropped beyond minus 10 degrees," said the weather official, Rakesh Sharma.

Residents in most of these places woke up to a morning of thick grey smog over the past few days, which had disrupted dozens of flights and train services.

Meanwhile, the temperature in Delhi dropped further as the city experienced morning drizzle on Friday and chilly winds blew past the city amid a cloudy sky.

Located in the tropics, most of India witnesses very hot summers and largely temperate winters.

During the winter season, holidaying crowd from the plains of India and other parts prefer to spend their time in the states of Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh and the valley region of Jammu and Kashmir to experience the romance of snowfall.

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First Published: Dec 27 2013 | 4:18 PM IST

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