Bone-chilling cold stings North India

The cold wave continued to give most of north and east India the shivers. The toll has risen to 116 after three weeks of near-freezing temperatures. Uttar Pradesh has been the most severe hit. With 13 more deaths reported in the past 24 hours, the total toll of winter deaths in Uttar Pradesh reached 103 on Tuesday.

A village woman covers her buffalo with a jute bag to protect it from the cold on the outskirts of Allahabad, Uttar Pradesh. Cold weather has killed nine homeless people in India bringing the death toll from three weeks of near-freezing temperatures to 116. AP

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A man rides a bicycle enveloped by fog on a cold winter morning in Hyderabad. Police say the worst-hit state is Uttar Pradesh where about 103 people, mostly poor and homeless, have died during the cold spell sweeping northern India. AP

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Men covering themselves with blankets ride on an elephant on a cold and foggy morning in Jammu. Near-freezing temperatures have killed more than two dozen people in northern India in recent days despite government efforts to distribute blankets and medicine to the poor, an official said. AP

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Men cover themselves with blankets and ride on a horse cart on a cold and foggy morning in Jammu. Hill station Darjeeling at -1°C was the coldest in the West Bengal. A cold wave alert has been sounded in 10 districts in the state. AP

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A man walks enveloped by fog on a cold winter morning in Hyderabad. Thirteen more people died in UP. While three deaths each were reported from Barabanki and Balrampur districts, two were reported from Kaushambi and one each from Chitrakoot, Basti, Orai, Sant Kabirnagar and Bareilly. AP

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Second hand auto parts traders sit near a bonfire in New Delhi. Chill intensified in Bihar as north-westerly winds continued to sweep the region, prompting the State Government to announce closure of all schools till January 14. AP

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People sit around a bonfire in New Delhi. Lucknow recorded a minimum of 1.4°C, six notches below normal, while Varanasi recorded a low of 2.7°C, six degrees below normal. AP

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A puppy crosses a road on a cold and foggy morning in Allahabad. Low temperature coupled with icy winds made life miserable for the people in Delhi where the minimum temperature settled below the normal level. The minimum temperature was recorded at 4.6°C, two degrees below normal for this time of the year. AP

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A homeless boy is covered in woolens and layers of blankets on a cold morning in Allahabad. With the continuous change in weather conditions, the hilly town of Dharamsala sees few tourists, which has affected businesses all over. AP

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A man smokes marijuana on a cold and foggy morning in Allahabad. Varanasi continued to freeze between 3.2 degrees and 14.4 degrees, while in Allahabad it ranged between 4.8 and 15.8 degrees. AP

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Flights line up for take off through lifting fog at the Indira Gandhi International Airport in New Delhi. There was no dense fog in the city and flight operations were normal at the IGI airport. AP

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Indian truck drivers warm themselves around a bonfire on a cold and foggy winter morning in Jammu. AP

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Dozens of people have died due to cold weather across northern India despite government efforts to distribute firewood and blankets to the poor. AP

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People cross a road as thick fog envelopes the city on a cold winter night in Allahabad. AP

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A man rides a horse cart as dense fog envelopes the city on a winter morning in Jammu. AP