Cold weather shuts Delhi schools

Many people are finding it hard to keep warm

Government-run primary schools across India's capital Delhi have been closed for a week as severe cold weather sweeps the north of the country.

The city saw its coldest day of the winter so far when temperatures hit 2.6C on Monday.

State schools reopened after the winter break but will shut until the weekend.

Cold weather has also hit Pakistan and other parts of South Asia. On Saturday, Lahore saw its coldest day since 1935 when the mercury dipped below freezing.

Deaths

Forecasters say the cold weather is set to continue across the region.

Although authorities in India have not released any list of fatalities, unofficial reports say more than 50 people may have died cold-related deaths in the states of Uttar Pradesh and Bihar.

In the northern state of Punjab, temperatures dipped to -1C in the Sikh holy city of Amritsar on Monday.

Officials said frost is threatening the freshly-sown wheat crop in several parts of the state.

In neighbouring Himachal Pradesh, several lakes and rivers have frozen leading to a severe shortage of drinking water.

The cold snap has also hit the western state of Rajasthan where Churu recorded a low of 0C on Monday.

In Indian-administered Kashmir, the famous man-made Dal Lake froze over for the second year in a row.