Harsh cold in Kashmir, Leh is minus 23.6 degrees

SRINAGAR - The Kashmir Valley and Ladakh region were reeling under severe cold wave Sunday with Leh recording a minimum temperature of minus 23.6 degrees Celsius while Srinagar shivered at minus 2.4 degrees.

In Leh town, the minimum temperature was minus 23.6 degrees Celsius while it was minus 12.1 in Pahalgam hill station and minus 12.1 degrees in the ski resort of Gulmarg, said M.S. Wani of the meteorological department.

In south Kashmir’s Qazigund, the minimum temperature was minus 7.4 degrees Celsius. “Those driving on the Srinagar-Jammu route are advised to drive cautiously as highly slippery road conditions exist on the highway this time,” Wani said.

After remaining closed for two days due to heavy snow in its Bannihal sector, the Srinagar-Jammu highway was thrown open for one-way traffic Saturday and even two-way traffic on Sunday.

Drivers have been asked to cross the Bannihal tunnel before 6 p.m. after which no vehicular movement will be allowed because of the slippery conditions especially in the mornings and the evenings,” an official of the local traffic department said here.

Wani said the minimum temperature is likely to dip further as dry cold weather is likely to continue till Tuesday morning.

Due to clear night skies, the temperatures are likely to fall further here,” Wani said.

Very few locals ventured out of their homes in the morning in Srinagar as extreme chill gripped the city.

Reversing its own decision, the state administration last week closed down all the schools in the Kashmir Valley which had been kept open for winter schooling to compensate the loss suffered by the students due to over four months of unrest in the valley last year.