Cold claims 24 more lives in Uttar Pradesh

With mercury dipping to sub-zero levels at some places, severe cold conditions prevailed in Uttar Pradesh claiming 24 more lives in the past 24 hours. Reports reaching here said that five people each died of cold in Unnao and Barabanki, three each in Mahoba and Chitrakot, two each in Deoria, Lalitpur and Mau and one each in Firozabad and Hathras.

According to a MET office report, mercury dipped to sub-zero levels at a number of places with Kanpur recording minus 1.1 degree celsius, 8 less than normal, followed by Agra at minus 1.0 degrees and Ghazipur and Lucknow at minus 0.2 degrees celsius. Reports from Bareilly said that the city saw chilly winds aggravating the problem of the people who witnessed the day colder than the night with the maximum temperature hovering around 7.8 degrees celsius. Maximum temperatures were below normal by 6 to 13 degree celsius over the state. Cold wave conditions prevailed over most parts of the state.