Intense cold wave grips Kashmir valley, water bodies freeze

Srinagar: Kashmir is freezing under intense cold wave with Srinagar city recording the coldest night of this season even as the minimum settled several degrees below freezing point across the valley, officials said on Thursday.

Srinagar city -- the summer capital of Jammu and Kashmir -- recorded a low of minus 5.4 degrees Celsius on Wednesday night which was slightly lower than previous night's minus 5.3 degrees Celsius.

It was the lowest minimum temperature recorded this winter in the city, the officials said.

Pahalgam in south Kashmir's Anantnag district, which serves as one of the base camps for the annual Amarnath Yatra, recorded a minimum temperature of minus 5.8 degrees Celsius, while the famous resort of Gulmarg in Baramulla district recorded a low of minus 5 degrees Celsius, they said.

Qazigund recorded a low of minus 3.8 degrees Celsius, Kokernag town minus 1.6 degrees Celsius and Kupwara minus 4.2 degrees Celsius.

The intense cold wave conditions in the valley has resulted in freezing of several water bodies while water supply pipes in many areas have been jammed.

The meteorological office said the weather would remain mainly dry till December 15 but predicted mild precipitation over the weekend.