Cold wave takes more lives in UP, Bengal

The severe cold wave sweeping across north and east India has taken more lives.

As many as 42 deaths were reported over the past 24 hours from different parts of Uttar Pradesh, taking the toll in the state to 136.

Six deaths were reported from Balrampur district, about 140km southeast of Lucknow. This was followed by five deaths in Varanasi district, three each in Lucknow, Kanpur, Bahraich, Hamirpur and Jhansi, and two each in Ballia, Mahoba, Mirzapur, Barielly, Jaunpur and Banda districts. Bhadohi, Mathura, Sant Kabir Nagar and Budaun reported one death each.

The temperature in Lucknow and its neighbouring industrial hub Kanpur plummeted to 3.4 and 3.2 degrees Celsius respectively.

Normal life was thrown completely out of gear with thick fog enveloping large parts of the state. Several flights were cancelled and trains were running behind schedule.

In West Bengal seven people succumbed to the biting cold.

The state was experiencing its coldest winter in the past few years with the average temperature in most districts remaining around three degrees below the normal.

The deaths occurred in Burdwan, Malda and South Dinajpur districts, police sources said.

Most of the victims were said to be old.

With Inputs from M Chhaya in Kolkata