No respite from cold in Kashmir Valley

Srinagar: There was no respite for residents of Kashmir as mercury across the Valley remained below the freezing point for the third consecutive day on Wednesday. In the summer capital Srinagar, the minimum temperature was recorded at minus 3.3 degrees Celsius, a decrease of 0.5 degrees from Tuesday night, a MeT official said.

Srinagar city on Tuesday recorded the maximum temperature of minus 1.0 degrees Celsius which was the coldest day in many years.

North Kashmir's Gulmarg resort recorded a low of minus 14.8 degrees Celsius, an increase of 1.4 degrees from last night.

Srinagar on Tuesday recorded the maximum temperature of -1.0 degrees Celsius which was the coldest day in many years.

In Pahalgam resort of south Kashmir, mercury touched a low of minus 10.7 degrees Celsius, the official said.

The south Kashmir gateway town of Qazigund recorded a minimum of minus 5.4 degrees Celsius, while north Kashmir's frontier Kupwara town recorded a low of minus 4.4 degrees Celsius, the spokesman said.

Residents of the Valley have been making extra efforts to keep themselves warm from the extreme weather using more woolens and burning small fires by roadsides to shield from the cold.

Kashmir has been witnessing the most harsh part of winter, locally called Chillai-Kalaan, a 40-day period which began in late December and lasts throughout January.

Water supply was severely affected as the chilling weather froze the supply pipes to houses.

Meanwhile, mercury in Leh town of remote Ladakh region had plunged to an extreme minus 18.4 degrees Celsius while the minimum temperature in adjoining Kargil district was recorded at minus 17.4 degrees Celsius, the official said.

(For updates you can share with your friends, follow IBNLive on Facebook, Twitter, Google+ and Pinterest)