As a cold wave sweeps north Indian states, many states including Jharkhand have announced a closure of schools owing to the extreme dip in temperatures.

In Jharkhand, schools will remain closed for students between classes 1 and 5 upto January 8, 2023. Students of the higher classes, however, would continue attending school as per routine according to the state’s education minister. In Ranchi, minimum temperatures reported ranged between 7⁰ and 9⁰ Celsius.

Among the other states, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, and Haryana have also announced closure of schools because of the cold wave. Punjab’s school education minister Harjot Singh Bains said that all the schools in the state will stay shut till 9 January 2023.

In Rajasthan as well, schools will remain closed due to the winter vacations upto January 5. Education department officials are assessing a need to shut down schools for a further duration, should there be a further dip in temperatures. An orange alert was issued in districts including Jaipur, Bharatpur and Bikaner. Churu registered minus 0.9°C, the coldest this season.  

Thick blankets of fog affected normal lives in Delhi, which shivered at minimum temperature ranging between 4⁰ and 5⁰ Celsius resulting in a delay in flights. Such was the situation in Punjab where dense fog affected visibility rendering it impossible for travel. 

The Indian Meteorological Department has warned of a cold wave in North India and issued an orange alert regarding the same in several parts. Extreme conditions could last up to January 8. 

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