Shimla shivers at -0.6°C, fresh snow in Manali, Kalpa
The entire north Kashmir is being deprived of electricity. There is no electricity even in the metered areas, which were promised a 24x7 power supply.
TARIQ MUGHLOO, general secretary, Baramulla Traders Federation.
SHIMLA: At -0.6° C, Himachal Pradesh state capital Shimla recorded the coldest night of the season on the intervening night of Wednesday and Thursday.
The temperature remained below freezing point at most places across the state on Wednesday.
The meteorological (MET) department has forecasted a further drop in the temperature over next few days.
“Clear sky conditions could lead to further drop in the minimum temperature. Snowfall is predicted in middle and higher reaches of Himachal Pradesh on December 30 and December 31 under the influence of a fresh western disturbance from December 29,” Shimla MET department director Manmohan Singh said.
He said several parts of the state, including tourist attractions Shimla, Manali, Dalhousie, Kufri and Narkanda, may receive snowfall around the New Year.
Manali and Kalpa in Himachal Pradesh received fresh snowfall on Wednesday night, the MET department said.
Rain and snowfall is also predicted in isolated parts of the state between December 30 and January 3.
While Kalpa received 5cm snowfall, Manali received 3cm snowfall, the director said.
Keylong in Lahaul and Spiti district remained the coldest in the state with a low of 9.2° C below the freezing point, while it was -8° C in Kalpa, 4.2° C in Dharamsala, 0.5° C in Palampur, -1.0° C in Kufri and -5.0° C in Manali on Thursday.
SRINAGAR’S COLDEST NIGHT IN 28 YEARS
Srinagar witnessed the coldest night of the season at -7.8° C, breaking the December 31, 2007 record of -7.2 °C, an official of the Met department said.
As per officials, after December 7, 1990, when the minimum temperature had dropped to -8.8° C, the capital recorded the coldest night of the season on Thursday.
Water taps, lakes, ponds and other water bodies were frozen in and around Srinagar in the morning. Very few people ventured out of their homes due to the bonechilling cold outside.
Dr Mohammad Salim Khan, head of department, social and preventive medicine, Government Medical College Srinagar, advised people to avoid unnecessary outdoor venturing and urged everyone to take necessary precautions for children and old
PROTEST AGAINST POWER OUTAGE
Meanwhile, dip in temperature left water pipes frozen with people complaining of erratic power supply across few places in Srinagar. A protest was staged in north Kashmir’s Baramulla against power outage.
“Entire north Kashmir is being deprived of electricity. There is no electricity even in the metered areas which have been promised 24x7 power supply,’’ said Tariq Mughloo, general secretary, Baramulla Traders Federation.