LUCKNOW: The Uttar Pradesh government has announced the closure of schools up to 12th grade till January 1 due to the intense cold.
Districts, including Varanasi, Kanpur, Aligarh, Sambhal, and 30 other districts, were shrouded in dense fog on Monday.
Visibility had dropped to zero in 8–10 cities. Roads remain deserted with cold winds and dew creating a drizzle-like effect.
The Meteorological Department warned of an intense cold wave to continue for the next four days. With Meerut recording the lowest temperature at 6.7°C, over 100 trains were running late in Gorakhpur, Jalaun, Varanasi, and Lucknow.
Dense fog and lack of visibility led to delayed flights.
Meanwhile, UP CM Yogi Adityanath instructed the officials to immediately assess the situation and arrange bonfires and blankets at public places.
The Meteorological Department advises people to avoid unnecessary travel and take extra care of elderly and children.
On Monday, temperatures remained below 10°C in 38 districts.
As per weather scientist Atul Singh, in the next few days, the cold will be more intense during the day and night because of snowfall in the Uttarakhand hills.
Meanwhile, owing to the intense cold wave sweeping the state, number of patients with cold and fever has increased in hospitals.
The weather is dangerous for cardiac patients as well. People are thronging hospitals with symptoms such as anxiety, heaviness in the chest, and pain.
As per the health department sources, at the OPD of KGMU and Lohia Institute, the number of heart patients has increased by up to 30 percent.
Due to the impact of cold and fog, potato and mustard crops are under threat.
Farmers say that if the temperature continues to drop, production may decrease.