PATNA, Dec. 26 -- A biting cold wave continued to sweep across Bihar on Friday, with temperatures plunging to single digits in several districts and thick fog reducing visibility to near zero in many areas. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has sounded an orange alert for dense to very dense fog in multiple districts, coupled with cold day conditions that have disrupted daily life and transportation.

Residents woke up to another foggy morning, with visibility dropping as low as 100 meters in places like Patna, Gaya and Valmiki Nagar. The chill was particularly severe in southern and northern parts of the state, where minimum temperatures hovered between 7.4degC and 9degC.

Aurangabad and Sabour in Bhagalpur recorded the lowest at...