Widespread rain lashes north India

Widespread rain lashed several parts of North India. Higher reaches of Kashmir, Ladakh, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand recorded snowfall, while plains experienced moderate rains yesterday. Widespread rains in the national capital brought the maximum temperature down. Met department said, the city recorded a high of 16.4 degrees Celsius, which was three notches below normal yesterday.

In Punjab, Amritsar was the coldest place with a minimum temperature of 3.4 degrees Celsius. In Haryana, Ambala recorded a minimum of 6.9 degrees Celsius. Chandigarh registered a night temperature of 7.6 degrees Celsius. Incessant rain accompanied by hailstorm lashed several places in Uttar Pradesh, intensifying the winter chill. Schools in many district have been closed today due to cold wave.State is likely to witness cloudy weather today. 

It has been raining  continuously from last 24 hours in state capital Lucknow throwing normal life out of gear. Same is the condition of many areas of state where incessant rains have not only intensified the winter chill but  also forced people to remain indoors. Heavy Rain and Hailstorm at some places



have damaged the crops and potato farmers are the worst hit. According to met department rain and thundershowers are likely to occur at many parts of state during next 24 hours and denge fog is also very likely in western parts.

In Jammu & Kashmir, Indian Air Force helicopters  rescued 107 people, including foreign nationals, who got stranded during the Chadar Trek in the Union Territory of Ladakh. The rescue operation was carried out with Ladakh's civil administration, nearby army units and local disaster relief teams during the past two days. Those airlifted include 9 foreign nationals and other stranded trekkers.

An unwell woman passenger from Ladakh was provided required medical care on ground & during flight by IAF medical personnel. IAF said, it will continue the ongoing rescue operation till all the stranded trekkers, guides and porters are evacuated and brought to safety. The trekkers, including foreign nationals and almost an equal number of local guides and porters, were part of the ongoing 'Chadar Trek. They got stranded when some portions of the frozen Zanskar River melted.