Kashmir Valley is reeling under an intense cold wave as mercury plummeted to season’s lowest mark during the past night as lakes and springs and frozen and people are encountering hardships on account of the biting cold.
Officials at the meteorological department said that the night temperature was recorded at minus 6.8 degrees Celsius, the lowest so far in the winter season. They said rains and snowfall is expected in the region on January 15 and 16.
The cold wave intensified in the Valley since last week when a wholesome snowfall draped every nook and cranny of the Valley in a white blanked ending a five-month long dry spell, the longest in around four decades. The snowfall occurred during Chillai Kalam, the 40-day period of harsh winter in Kashmir that starts on December 21. last year, there was no precipitation in the Chillai Kalan period that had an adverse effect on the summer. Orchardists in Kashmir say that heavy snowfall in winter raises the water table and ensures better apple and almond crop.
The cold wave has affected the normal life in the Valley as power supply has worsened. “We get power supply for less than two hours in peace meals. It has made our life a hell,” said Muhammad Ashraf, a resident of south Kashmir’s Tral area.
Worse, the cold wave has hampered the water supply to homes as most water piper have frozen.
“I could not wash my face in the morning and had to wait till 2 pm till a slight increase in day temperature resulted in dripping at the tap,” Ali Muhammad, a resident of Srinagar’s Jawahir Nagar area said.
Officials said the the minimum temperature was minus 17 degree Celsius in leh, the coldest town in Jammu and Kashmir on Saturday while the adjacent Kargil town in the region recorded minus 15.6 degrees Celsius as the night’s lowest. The hill resorts of Gulmarg and Pahalgam recorded minus 14.4 and minus 12 degree Celsius respectively. The state government is planning winter sports events at the hill resorts next week as tourists and local adventurers have begun to flock the areas.