January 9, 2003	Thursday	Ziqa’ad 5, 1423

NEW DELHI, Jan 8: Nearly 600 people have died due to cold weather that has swept across India, Bangladesh and Nepal, officials said on Wednesday.

Bihar has been hardest hit, with more than 200 people dead from freezing temperatures since mid-December. Another 21 people died overnight, local media reported.

State officials have confirmed only 11 deaths and said others attributed to the cold could have been due to old age or illness.

“The death toll of cold in the state is only 11 so far but we have asked district authorities to report any in their areas,” said a spokesman.

“We have asked district authorities to allow the use of public buildings like schools, office premises and community halls to give shelter to the homeless. They have been told to erect tents and light free wood at various places.”

Temperatures in parts of the state have fallen to six degrees Celsius, below normal minimum temperatures, weather officials said.

The media also reported that over 1,000 cattle had perished in the cold.

In Uttar Pradesh, 34 people died on Tuesday, bringing that state’s frozen death toll to 121.

The Uttar Pradesh state government also directed district officials to light bonfires and distribute blankets amongst the poor.

Temperatures in the city of Kanpur fell to one degree Celsius, among the lowest temperatures ever recorded.

More than 1,200 schools in New Delhi have also been closed for several days due to the low temperatures, officials said.

A new cold front has fallen over Bangladesh, claiming more than 50 lives overnight and pushing the death toll in three weeks of unusually low temperatures to over 240, weather officials said.

The Daily Jugantar reported 54 people had died overnight in the northern and western districts of the country where thick fog has also disrupted communications.

No official death toll has been released but newspapers have previously reported 187 dead. Those who died were mostly elderly and ill.—AFP