The news agency, in a toll based on local authorities' figures, reported 35 more cold-related deaths in the northern state of Uttar Pradesh in the past 24 hours, taking the toll in the province to 75.

Neighbouring Bihar state has reported 22 deaths in the cold spell which began some two weeks ago.

Six people died in the central Indian state of Madhya Pradesh on Monday as the cold wave carrying rains splashed the country's largest province, officials from state capital of Bhopal said.

Twenty-five more deaths have occurred in other parts of northern India where millions remained indoors to escape the biting cold, officials said.

The Indian capital has been enveloped in dense fog for the past 10 days leading to the cancellation or long delays of flights and trains nearly every day.

Lakes have frozen in the northern districts of Lahoul and Spiti in the lower reaches of the Himalayas.

The winter takes a heavy toll each year around South Asia, where homes are designed to cope with the equally deadly summers.

Last winter's cold spell killed almost 1,400 people, mostly elderly and the homeless.

TERRA.WIRE