Dal Lake freezes partially; MeT predicts dry weather till Jan 20, DC Sgr issues advisory, asks people to avoid walking on Dal Lake
Owais Gul
SRINAGAR: The world famous Dal Lake froze again on Thursday after Srinagar, the summer capital of Jammu and Kashmir recorded the coldest night in last three decades at minus 8.4 degree Celsius.
Earlier, the coldest night at minus 10.5 degree Celsius in Srinagar was recorded on January 22, 1991 while the second coldest in last three decades was recorded at minus 8.3 on January 02, 1995.
After exactly three decades (thirty years), Srinagar recorded the coldest night at minus 8.4 degree Celsius while the weatherman here has predicted no major snowfall or rainfall till January 20.
Deputy Director Meteorological department (MeT), Mukhtar Ahmad told the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO) that the minimum temperature till January 20 will remain closer to minus 7 degree Celsius.
“There is possibility of any major snowfall or rainfall till January 20 while minimum temperature would settle closer to minus 7 degree Celsius in the next coming days,” he said.
In the intervening night of Tuesday-Wednesday, the minimum temperature in Srinagar was recorded minus 7.8 degree Celsius, which was the lowest in the last eight years.
Besides, Gulmarg, the world famous ski-resort recorded minus 7.0 degree Celsius, MeT spokesman said, adding that the night temperature in Pahalgam settled at minus 11.1 degree Celsius.
Meanwhile, people living in Srinagar had to face tremendous hardships in the morning hours as the frozen taps and slippery roads added to their miseries.
The water pipes of people were frozen in the morning hours, thus they couldn’t get the water supply till the temperature increased, locals said.
Parts of the world famous Dal Lake were also frozen today while the youth were seen walking as well as playing cricket on the frozen water body.
Soon after spotting people walking on the frozen Dal Lake, the district administration issued an advisory, asking people to avoid walking on frozen Dal Lake, saying that it could prove dangerous.
“Walking on frozen #DalLake could be dangerous. Pl avoid it. (SDRF teams deployed for safety),” Deputy Commissioner (DC) Srinagar, Dr. Shahid Iqbal Choudhary tweeted.
However, the local youth as well as the tourists were also seen capturing photographs while walking on the frozen Dal Lake.