Srinagar records coldest night in 30 years
(Sourced from PTI)
A major portion of Kashmir's famous Dal Lake and several other water bodies froze on Thursday as the cold wave in the Valley continued with Srinagar recording the coldest night in 30 years, officials informed. "Srinagar recorded a low of minus 8.4 degree Celsius, which was the coldest temperature recorded in the city in 30 years," an official of the MeT department said.
"While Srinagar had recorded minus 8.3 degree Celsius in 1995, the temperature had fallen to minus 11.3 degree Celsius in 1991," the official said. "The lowest temperature ever recorded in Srinagar was minus 14.4 degree Celsius in 1893," he informed.
The rest of the Valley was also reeling under intense cold. Pahalgam tourist resort, which also serves as a base camp for the annual Amarnath yatra in south Kashmir, recorded a low of minus 11.1 degree Celsius, up from the previous night's minus 11.7 degree Celsius. The resort was the coldest recorded place in Jammu and Kashmir.
The minimum temperature in Gulmarg was recorded at minus seven degree Celsius, up from minus 10 degree Celsius the night earlier. Qazigund recorded a minimum of 10 degree Celsius compared to minus 1.4 degree Celsius a day earlier. Kupwara in north Kashmir recorded a low of minus 6.7 degree Celsius, while Kokernag in the south recorded minus 10.3 degree Celsius.
Vast areas of many water bodies, including Dal Lake, have frozen due to the bone-chilling cold. The plunge in the minimum temperature has resulted in the freezing of water supply pipes as well. A thick layer of ice has settled over several roads in the city and elsewhere in the Valley, making it difficult for motorists to drive.
Kashmir is currently under the grip of Chillai-Kalan-- the 40-day harshest winter period when the temperature drops considerably leading to the freezing of water bodies, including the famous Dal Lake, as well as the water supply lines in several parts of the Valley.
