Cold and fog: 9 flights cancelled; closure of Patna schools extended till Jan 20

Patna district magistrate (DM) Chandra Shekhar Singh Tuesday extended the closure of all educational institutions, private and government, up to class 8, for four more days beginning Wednesday till January 20 due to prevailing cold weather and low temperature in the district.

For the second consecutive day, nine flights from Patna to different destinations were cancelled due to fog and poor visibility on Tuesday.

“Three flights to New Delhi, two each to Mumbai and Hyderabad and one each to Ranchi and Bangalore were among those cancelled from Patna,” said Kumud Ranjan of Mamta Travels.

The DM had earlier shut academic activities for four days from January 13 to 16, after deferring the school timings to 9am earlier this month.

Academic activities from class 9 onwards would continue with proper precautions between 9am and 3.30pm. Academic activities related to Mission Daksha (special classes for weak students in government schools) and board examinations have, however, been exempted, as per the DM’s order.

Meanwhile, many schools, including St Joseph’s Convent, will begin with hybrid mode of teaching, with online classes for students till class 8 and offline for those of class 9 and above from Wednesday.

Mount Carmel High School had introduced online classes from last Saturday.

The state recorded a minimum temperature of 5.2 degree Celsius at Gaya on Tuesday. This was, however, 1.8 degree Celsius higher than on Monday, when the district recorded a minimum temperature of 3.4 degree Celsius, according to the Met department.

Kaimur recorded a minimum temperature of 6.2 degree Celsius, followed by 6.9 degree Celsius in Aurangabad, 7 degree Celsius in Araria and Siwan, 7.2 degree Celsius in Saran, Rohtas and East Champaran, among districts experiencing severe cold.

State capital Patna recorded a minimum temperature of 10.2 degree Celsius on Tuesday, 2.7 degree higher than on Monday, when the minimum temperature was 7.5 degree Celsius. The minimum temperature of Patna was likely to hover between 10 and 12 degree Celsius over the next four days, while its maximum temperature could be in the range of 18-20 degree Celsius, the Met report said.

There was dense fog in Purnia and Gaya on Tuesday while most other districts in the state experienced mild to moderate fog.

The Met predicted severe cold day, with moderate to dense fog, at a few places over northern part of Bihar. Cold day condition, with fog, was also likely to prevail over a few places in the southern part of the state over the next three days.