At least 22 more people died as temperatures dipped in northern India raising the death toll in the cold wave in the region to more than 70, DPA quoted a news report as saying Sunday. While 50 people died in the Uttar Pradesh state over the past eight days, 22 more deaths occurred due to the bitter cold in the adjoining state of Bihar since Friday, the IANS news agency reported. The deaths were reported from eight districts in the state including Nawada, Buxar and Bhojpur and a majority of the victims were homeless or pavement dwellers. The mercury plummeted and ranged between 6 and 10 degrees celsius in major cities of the state. Dense fog disrupted road traffic and also led to cancellation of several flights and trains, the report said. Weather officials have meanwhile said the cold conditions would persist over the next few days. Authorities in both states have issued orders for bonfires to be lit along roads for the homeless. The intense cold wave conditions have also affected northern states such as Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Rajasthan and the national capital New Delhi. Temperatures in Delhi dropped to as low as 4 degrees celsius on the weekend, prompting the Delhi government to issue directives to all schools to close down till Tuesday. Air and rail traffic in and around the city were also badly affected due to fog. Winters in India are brief, beginning mid-December and ending by February.
