20 dead as UP reels under cold wave, temp drops to sub-zero

Six people lost their lives in Ghazipur, three each in Azamgarh and Barabanki, two each in Fatehpur, Sultanpur and Chandauli and one each in Jaunpur and Siddhartnagar. With this the death toll this winter has risen to 175.

Met office officials here said Muzaffarnagar was the coldest place in the state with minus 0.7 degree celsius which was seven degrees below normal.

Cold wave conditions prevailed over most parts of the state with maximum temperatures remaining below normal by seven to 15 notches.

Night temperatures fell markedly in Lucknow and Allahabad divisions.

Agra recorded .6 degree celsius, Najibabad (Bijnore) 1.S0, Lucknow and Aligarh 1.4 each and Kheri 1.6, the Met department said.

Ground frost would occur in some parts of the state during next two nights and dense fog would prevail over some parts of eastern UP during the next 24 hours, it said.