Icy cold winds in northern India have claimed 42 deaths in one day in Uttar Pradesh. India’s federal Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a warning for the next two days against the cold wave and dipping temperatures.
The national capital is expected to record its second-coldest December since 1901. "The mean maximum temperature for December was less than 20 degrees Celsius only in 1919, 1929, 1961 and 1997," an official of the India Meteorological Department said.
The maximum number of deaths was reported in the Kanpur district of Uttar Pradesh state on Thursday 26 December, which saw temperatures of 11.4 degree Celsius. On the same day, three deaths were registered in Fatehpur, and 2-4 deaths each in Banda city, Hamirpur city and Auraiya city.
IMD’s advance forecast indicated, cold to severe climate conditions would prevail for the next two days in several parts of northern India.
As per weathermen, relief can only be expected around December 30, when an active western disturbance should bring widespread rain and snow to Northwest India.