Death toll tops 300 as cold wave intensifies in India

At least 326 people have died as a cold wave intensified its grip over northern India following rains in the region, media reports said Wednesday.The northern state of Uttar Pradesh, which has been the worst hit, saw 38 fresh deaths since Monday night while the Himalayan states of Jammu and Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh reeled under sub-zero temperatures, the NDTV news channel reported.
Uttar Pradesh alone has accounted for 300 deaths during the cold snap. Most victims were either among elderly or poor, having inadequate shelter and warm clothing, state officials said. Meanwhile rains over northern parts of India, including the national capital New Delhi, Haryana, Punjab and Uttar Pradesh since late Tuesday resulted in temperatures plummeting further. The lowest temperature on the plains was reported from Amritsar, which recorded 2.2 degrees Celsius.