Kashmir Valley continues to reel under intense cold wave even as fringes of Dal Lake freeze for the first time this winter North India was gripped by bone chilling cold on Thursday as temperatures nosedived across the region claiming nine more lives. Delhi recorded a maximum temperature of 12.7 degrees Celsius, eight less than normal, and a minimum of 4.4 degrees Celsius, three less than the usual. The cold wave continued unabated in Uttar Pradesh as nine more persons succumbed to the chill in the State, raising the death toll this winter to 116. Two persons each died in Deoria, Chandauli and Gazipur districts, followed by one each in Bijnor, Jhansi and Barabanki, said officials. Najibabad was the coldest place in the State where the minimum temperature was recorded at 2.4 degrees, the weatherman said, adding that maximum temperatures also remained below normal by five to 11 degrees over some parts of western UP. Night temperatures fell in most parts of the region, including Allahabad, Faizabad, Moradabad, Agra, Meerut, Kanpur, Lucknow, Bareilly and Jhansi divisions. The mercury also plummeted in parts of Rajasthan where Mount Abu recorded zero degree Celsius. Bikaner also recorded a low of 0.4 degree Celsius. Intense cold continued its grip on most parts of Punjab and Haryana as a thick blanket of fog played havoc with normal life in the region. The minimum temperatures hovered between four degrees below normal to four notches above normal in most parts of the States, said the weather office, adding that night temperatures were up by an average up to two degrees in the region. In the plains of Punjab and Haryana, Narnaul reeled under a low of 0.5, four notches below normal, making it the coldest place in the region. While Karnal braved a low of 4.2 degrees, three notches below normal, the minimum temperature at Chandigarh was 4.7. Among other places in the twin agrarian States, Bhiwani settled at a low of 4.8, followed by five degrees in Hisar, 5.2 in Patiala, 5.6 in Ludhiana and six degrees in Ambala. However, a thick blanket of fog in the morning at most places in the region affected all modes of travel. Meanwhile, the Kashmir Valley continued to reel under intense cold as temperatures across the State plunged further even as the fringes of the famous Dal Lake here were frozen for the first time this winter. The summer capital Srinagar registered the coldest night of the season for the second time this winter as the minimum temperature dropped to minus four degrees Celsius, a Meteorological Department spokesman told PTI . Srinagar had registered the season’s coldest night on December 23, when the weather department recorded the temperature at minus four degrees Celsius. Kargil, in the frontier region of Ladakh, was the coldest recorded place in the State with a low of minus 16.2, while the nearby Leh town shivered at minus 16 degrees. The famous ski resort of Gulmarg in North Kashmir recorded a low of minus 9, while Pahalgam in South Kashmir registered a minimum of minus 7.8. The minimum temperature recorded at Qazigund, the gateway town of Kashmir on the Srinagar-Jammu National Highway, was minus 5, followed by Kokernag in South at minus 4.2 and Kupwara in North Kashmir at minus 4. The weatherman said the cold wave conditions will persist for some days in the Valley, including Srinagar, as the weather will remain mostly dry across the State. — PTI Water pipes freeze in Shimla PTI adds: Intense cold wave conditions persisted across Himachal Pradesh on Thursday as minimum temperatures dropped a few notches to stay two to four degrees below normal. Water pipes were frozen in many parts of Shimla as the mercury dipped to one degree, while Manali, Solan, Sundernagar and Bhuntar reeled under sub-zero temperature with minimum temperatures at minus 3.0, minus 2.4, minus 1.4 and minus 1.2 respectively. The mercury hovered around freezing point at most of the places in mid and higher hills, while thick fog engulfed the towns along the banks of major rivers in the morning hours, affecting vehicular traffic. Mandi and Palampur recorded a low of 2.1 and 2.4 degrees, while Nahan and Dharamsala recorded minimum temperature at 4.5 degrees, three degrees below normal. Keylong and Kalpa in twin tribal districts of Lahaul & Spiti and Kinnaur touched a low of minus 10 and minus 4.6 degrees, while high-altitude tribal areas reeled under piercing cold wave conditions with minimum temperatures staying between minus 12 and minus 22 degrees. Day temperatures remained steady in the region with Sundernagar the hottest place in the region with a high of 18.4 degrees, followed by Dharamshala at 18.2, Bhunter at 18, Nahan and Solan at 17.1 each, Shimla at 12.5, Una at 11.2 and Kalpa at 9.9. The weatherman has predicted dry weather in the region during the next three days with a marginal fall in night temperatures.