Srinagar: Bone chilling cold wave has further intensified as mercury witnessed further drop in the Kashmir valley, where water taps, water bodies and snow on roof tops and roadsides remained frozen, affecting normal life.
People in majority parts of Kashmir valley, including summer capital, Srinagar, which recorded second coldest night of the season at minus 6.3 degree, complained of water shortage after taps were frozen.
Doctors have already advised people, particularly elders and children besides those suffering from blood pressure, heart problem, chest infection and other diseases to avoid moving out of their homes in the morning and evening.
The entire Kashmir valley is facing bone chilly weather conditions affecting normal life. However, Director Meteorological department Sonam Lotus said there is nothing abnormal in the weather.
A met department spokesperson said that the lowest minimum temperature recorded so far in Srinagar was in 1893 when the mercury dipped and settled at minus 14.4 degree.
He said in the last 10 years the lowest night temperature recorded in the summer capital was minus 7.8 degree in 2012.
People woke up to a chilly morning though there was some improvement in the temperature as the day progressed in Srinagar, where night temperature further dipped and settled at minus 6.3 degree, against minus 5 degree recorded yesterday.
People could be seen burning wood to unfreeze the taps frozen during the night as Srinagar recorded the second coldest night of the season so far, which was about four notches below normal. When we woke up in the morning water was not coming out of taps as all the surface pipes had frozen. Even the surface pipes carrying warm water had frozen. We had to burn wood to unfreeze them, Shabir Ahmad a resident of Natipora said.
The lowest night temperature recorded in the summer capital so far this winter was on December 21 last year when mercury settled at minus 6.5 degree.
Reports of shortage of water due to freezing of pipes were coming from other parts of the valley as well.
Meanwhile Dal Lake, besides other water bodies, was also frozen and shikarawalas were struggling to make way for their shikaras. People recalled that it was in 1965 when the Dal Lake was totally frozen and a jeep crossed on the frozen surface from one end to another. Later in 1986, the water body again froze, attracting thousands of local and foreign tourists, while young boys played cricket and ice hockey over the surface of Dal Lake.
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Ski resort of Gulmarg, about 55 km from here in north Kashmir, was the coldest place in Kashmir valley as mercury further dipped and settled at minus 13.6 degree, against minus 13.5 degree recorded yesterday. The night temperature in the ski resort was over six degree below normal.
However, Leh in Ladakh region witnessed some improvement in the night temperature though it was still the coldest place in the region. After recorded the coldest night of the season so far at minus 17.7 degree yesterday, the mercury surged and settled at minus 14 degree.
There was also some improvement in the night temperature at world famous health resort of Pahalgam though it was still five degree below normal. After recorded the coldest night of the season so far at minus 13 degree yesterday, the temperature recorded was minus 12.4 degree.
The minimum temperature at Qazigund, the gateway to Kashmir valley, also witnessed a marginal improvement as the mercury settled at minus 7 degree, against minus 7.2 degree, which was the coldest night recorded yesterday. The night temperature was still four degree below normal in Qazigund, where drivers, particularly truck drivers, on the national highway were seen burning wood underneath the diesel tanks to unfreeze the fuel.
Another health resort, Kokernag, and Kupwara in north Kashmir witnessed the coldest nights of the season so far. Against minus 7.1 degree recorded yesterday, the night temperature at Kokernag was minus 8.7 degree while mercury dipped and settled at minus 6.8 degree at Kupwara, against minus 5.8 degree recorded yesterday.
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