Allahabad/Delhi, Jan 1 : Intense cold wave conditions prevailing in North India claimed five lives in Uttar Pradesh’s Allahabad District on Monday, official sources said today.

In Uttar Pradesh, minimum temperatures dipped to three degrees Celsius.

Meanwhile, residents in Delhi woke up to the coldest day of the season on New Year today with the minimum temperature dipping to 2.6 degree Celsius.

The minimum temperature has fallen to four points below normal and two points lower than yesterday's 4.7 degree Celsius.

The maximum temperature was recorded at 20.8 degree Celsius against yesterday's 21.5 degree Celsius.

The Weather officials have predicted further fall in the temperature from tomorrow. They attributed the fall to cold wave conditions, currently prevailing over Haryana, north Rajasthan and eastern parts of Uttar Pradesh.

However, with the weather clear, there was no disruption of flights.

Freezing cold gripped Punjab and Haryana today with minimum temperatures dropping to the season's lowest at some places.

The Meteorological Department in Chandigarh said, the city witnessed the season's coldest night as minimum temperatures dropped to 1.4 degrees Celsius, five degrees below normal. In Amritsar, the minimum temperature was minus 0.8 degrees Celsius, five below normal, while minimum temperature in Patiala was 1 degrees Celsius, six below normal, making it the coldest night so far.

A thick layer of ice has enveloped the famous Dal Lake in Kashmir as the cold wave sweeps the Valley.

The Valley recorded a minimum temperature of minus 7.2 degrees Celsius on
Monday night.

The local people are facing hardships due to the sub-zero temperatures.

The Dal Lake has become frozen. It is so thick that it does not break even if
a person walks on the lake. Children and adults are falling sick due to cold weather conditions," said Inayat, a resident.

Coupled with intense cold, Kashmir Valley is also facing a dry spell compounding the problems of the people, who are apprehending a severe shortage of water and electricity during the winter months as the flow in Valley's rivers, streams and springs has drastically reduced.

The power shortage, already at a perturbing eighty per cent, might assume the proportions of a grave crisis if the situation persists.

The snowfall, widely expected with the onset of 40-day long 'Chilla-e-kalaan' in last week of December, has eluded the Valley so far. It is hoped that the snowfall could break the current intense dry cold spell. (ANI)