Cold snap continues across Northern India
An intense cold snap which has been affecting northern parts of India over the last few weeks is now thought to have been responsible for almost 50 deaths.
Northern Uttar Pradesh and Bihar have been worst hit with the cold having intensified over the last two days. Most of the deaths are said to have occurred amongst the homeless. Officials in Uttar Pradesh have taken steps to try and avoid further deaths, providing more shelters for the homeless and distributing blankets. Thousands are said to have been seen huddling around roadside bonfires in the capital and across the region.
New Delhi recorded its lowest temperature of the season on Wednesday, with values dropping to 1.9C (36F). Meanwhile on Tuesday night the temperature in Srinagar city plummeted to -7.4C (19F), breaking a 20 year record. The night time temperature was more than five degrees below the average for the time of year.
In Jammu and Kashmir on Wednesday, police were warning people not to walk across the icy Dal Lake. The cold snap has caused the lake to slowly ice over, the layers building up to a depth of 10-15cm in places (4-6 inches). The world-famous lake has frozen several times in the past, but the most notable years were 1964 and 1986.
Northern India is often hit badly over the winter as icy winds descend from the Himalayas. The current cold snap is forecast to continue into the weekend.
