Winter has clamped down on North India, with temperatures plummeting across the region, including the first cold day of the year in the national capital, New Delhi. Snowfall blankets hilly states, while the plains are gripped by icy winds and dropping temperatures.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) forecasts continued light rainfall or snowfall in Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, and Uttarakhand. The cold wave has led temperatures to fall below zero in many parts, worsening conditions in regions such as Himachal Pradesh where trekking above 3,000 meters has been banned.
Several areas, such as Gulmarg in Kashmir, recorded extreme lows, with dense fog further affecting southern West Bengal. The IMD has issued advisories urging citizens, particularly the elderly and vulnerable, to exercise caution as the region braces for more freezing temperatures in the days ahead.
(With inputs from agencies.)