Cold wave alert issued for 12 districts in Jharkhand

Ranchi, Dec 26 (PTI) A cold wave alert has been issued for 12 districts in Jharkhand with the minimum temperatures plummeting below 10 degrees Celsius in many parts of the state, an IMD official said on Thursday.

The Gumla was the coldest district with the mercury level falling to 2.8 degrees Celsius, he said.

The 'yellow' alert (be aware) for cold wave has been issued for Ranchi, Khunti, Hazaribag, Bokaro, Ramgarh, Koderma, Gumla, Lohardaga, Chatra, Latehar, Palamu and Garhwa till 8.30 am on Saturday, he said.

The cold condition is triggered by "north-westerly to westerly winds prevailing in lower tropospheric levels over Jharkhand", said Abhishek Anand, deputy director at Ranchi Meteorological Centre.

"The minimum temperature is likely to fall further by 2-3 degrees Celsius during the next 48 hours, and thereafter, no significant change is likely to occur in the next two days," he added.

The minimum temperature has slipped below 10 degrees Celsius in most districts of the state, the IMD official said.

Khunti and Lohardaga recorded 5.2 degrees Celsius each, while the mercury level fell to 5.3 and 5.6 degrees Celsius in Hazaribag and Daltonganj, respectively, according to a bulletin issued on Friday morning.

Bokaro reported 6.9 degrees Celsius, while Jharkhand's capital Ranchi shivered at 7 degrees Celsius and Simdega at 7.3 degrees Celsius, it added. PTI SAN BDC