Cold wave sweeps northern region

New Delhi: The northern and northwest part of the country continues to reel under the grip of an intense cold wave with some experiencing sub-zero temperatures.

In Himachal Pradesh, chilly conditions increased, as Shimla and the adjoining areas saw the year's first snowfall on Saturday. The state is reeling under such low temperatures after a gap of 15 years. An intense cold wave gripped Kulu valley where temperatures ranged from -4°C to -7°C.

"We are experiencing chilly weather. The temperature has dipped very steeply," said Subhash Thakur, a resident of Kulu valley. There was no respite for the residents of Shimla, where the minimum settled at -2.5°C, five below normal range.

Rajasthan and Delhi are also facing discomfort due to icy winds. In Rajasthan, Sriganganagar has recorded a minimum of zero degrees Celsius.

Punjab and Haryana were also witnessing severe cold yesterday. In Punjab, Amritsar registered -1.6°C, seven below normal, Ludhiana registered around 0.1°C, and Patiala was 1.7°C.

The minimum temperature at Chandigarh has dropped since Saturday to 3.6°C, three degrees below normal. In Haryana, Narnaul recorded a lowest of 1.3°C, Karnal 2.4°C, Rohtak a low of 3.2°C and Hisar 4°C.