Fog, cold wave cripple life in Rajasthan; 2 more deaths reported

Two weather-related deaths were reported from Jodhpur and Bharatpur districts of Rajasthan, even as dense fog and a persistent cold wave continued to affect normal life in many districts on Wednesday.

Sources in the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said that cold wave and foggy weather conditions were prevailing in about 20 districts. This situation is likely to continue until January 9, with the IMD issuing a yellow alert for chilly weather.

Advertisement

Night temperatures at IMD observatories across the state were recorded below 10 degrees Celsius on Wednesday morning, with Sirohi emerging as the coldest place in the plains at 4.7 degrees Celsius. In Tonk, Ajmer, Alwar, Jaipur, and Jaisalmer, the mercury hovered around the 6 degrees Celsius mark or even lower.

Life in most major towns, including Jaipur, Ajmer, Alwar, and Bharatpur, remained paralysed due to fog till late this morning. Fog and low visibility also adversely affected road and rail traffic and air services.

More than a dozen trains were running several hours behind schedule. The schedules of at least eight flights from Sanganer International Airport were disrupted.

According to reports reaching the state headquarters here, a 70-year-old sadhu was found dead on a platform at Luni Junction in Jodhpur on Tuesday, while a woman was run over by a truck trailer in foggy conditions yesterday morning.

Earlier, four people were killed in a serious road accident in Napasar- Bikaner due to low visibility caused by fog a few days ago.