Sub-sero conditions sweep Kashmir, Ladakh, freeze taps

SRINAGAR - Dry, cold weather with below zero minimum temperatures continued in the Kashmir Valley and the cold desert Ladakh region of Jammu and Kashmir. Weather conditions are likely to stay for another three to four days, an official said.

“The minimum temperature in Srinagar was again minus 2.2 degrees Celsius Friday while in Leh it was minus 13 degrees and in Kargil it was minus 10.6 degrees,” R.K. Pandita, assistant director of the local weather department, told IANS here.

Even though the days have pleasant sunshine because of clear skies in the valley, the freezing night temperatures have started choking water taps at many places in Srinagar and other districts.

“I was unable to understand why the water taps ran dry in the morning. When I heard about the temperatures having fallen below the freezing point, only then I understood why the taps had frozen,” said Abdul Salam, 49, a resident of outskirts Ahmad Nagar area of Srinagar.

“In the south Kashmir Pahalgam hill station, the minimum temperature was minus 5.2 degrees,” Pandita said.

Pandita said dry, cold weather was likely to continue in the valley and the Ladakh region for another three to four days.

“A western disturbance is approaching north India and it is expected to arrive Dec 5. But the western disturbance is likely to overshoot the state of Jammu and Kashmir,” the official said.

“There will thus be no immediate respite from dry and cold weather,” the official said.