SRINAGAR The freezing winter conditions showed no signs of reprieve as Srinagar, the summer capital of the state, recorded a low of minus 7.7 Degrees Celsius, the coldest night of the season so far and a notch below 7.6 degree Celsius recorded on previous night.
A Meteorological department official said that the minimum temperature recorded in last two nights was just a degree below to what was recorded on 7 December 1990 when mercury plummeted to minus 8.8 degrees Celsius Srinagar.
The all-time low recorded in the month of December in Srinagar was minus 12.8 degrees Celsius on December 13, 1934.
The cold wave resulted in freezing of some water bodies, including the fringes of the famous Dal Lake here, and residential water supply pipes.
The Lake was completely frozen in 1965 when a jeep had crossed on the frozen surface from one to another end. It was again frozen in 1986 when people were playing ice hockey and cricket besides taking photographs on the frozen surface.
The official said Qazigund the gateway town to the Valley recorded a low of minus 6.7 against last nights minus 6.1 degrees Celsius, while the nearby Kokernag registered a low of minus 5.5 against previous nights minus 5.4 degrees Celsius.
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The night temperature in Pahalgam, also in south Kashmir, settled at a low of minus 9.5 against minus 8.3 degrees Celsius on preceding night and was coldest place in the Valley, the official said.
The ski-resort of Gulmarg in north Kashmir recorded the minimum temperature of minus 9.3 degrees Celsius against minus 9.0 degrees Celsius on previous night, he said.
Kupwara in north Kashmir recorded a low of minus 6.3 degrees Celsius on previous night, he said.
Kashmir is currently under the grip of ‘Chillai-Kalan’ the 40-day harshest period of winter when the chances of snowfall are most frequent and maximum and the temperature drops considerably.
‘Chillai-Kalan’ ends on January 31, but the cold wave continues even after that in Kashmir.
The 40-day period is followed by a 20-day long ‘Chillai-Khurd’ (small cold) and a 10-day long ‘Chillai-Bachha’ (baby cold).
Heath Department Issues DOs And DONTs
The directorate of health services, Kashmir (DSEK) on Friday issued a health advisory as the cold wave intensified across the region with summer capital Srinagar recording minus 7.7 degrees Celsius coldest in nearly three decades.
The health department has issued the following dos and donts for the people:
Wear warm clothes in layers. Wear a scarf, hat and gloves. Keep your hands and feet warm.
Elderly (more than 65 age group) and infants are at high risk.
Avoid exertion in cold weather if you are suffering from heart disease or high blood pressure
Cold weather makes your heart work harder to keep the body warm.
Cold weather also leads to increased formation of clots leading to heart attack and stroke
In case of chest pain contact doctor immediately. Eat a balanced diet and drink frequent warm beverages (Kehwa).
Avoid alcohol; Quit smoking; Stay active indoors; Do not sit for long periods of time;
Move around once every hour; If you are working outdoors, Work slowly and take frequent breaks
Avoid walking on ice and snow; Warning signs of hypothermia: Confusion, shivering, difficulty speaking, sleepiness, stiff muscles
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