Srinagar: Parts of the world famous Dal Lake were today frozen in summer capital of the Jammu and Kashmir, Srinagar, after recording coldest night of the season when the minimum temperature dropped to minus 4.8 degree this morning, lowest of winter so far.
There would be no immediate relief for the people of the Kashmir valley, where the minimum will drop further but the maximum will be near normal during the next 24 hours.
A correspondent, who visited the Dal Lake this morning, saw parts of the world famous water body frozen near banks.
Though the frozen surface was not so hard, but shikarawalas had to put extra efforts to reach near banks.
However, in the interior areas, the water was frozen and one could stand on the frozen surface without any difficulty.
For the past about one week, the water has again started freezing due to minus temperature during the night, a shikarawala said.
However, he said, the frozen parts melt as the day progresses.
But, he said, in the interiors where sun light does not reach because of trees, the frozen surface hardens every passing day.
In 60s when the Dal Lake was totally frozen, a jeep crossed on the frozen surface from one end to another.
Later in 1986, the Lake water again frozen, attracting thousands of locals and foreign tourists while youths were playing ice hockey and cricket.
Last year, parts of the Lake were again frozen, particularly near banks and people were seen taking photographs on the frozen surface while youths were playing different games. However, later the district authorities put a ban on moving on frozen surface to avoid any major accident.
Water taps, drains and other nallahs were also frozen this morning due to severe cold wave conditions.
Similar reports were also receive
d from other parts of the Kashmir valley.
However, the frozen surface later started melting as the day progressed. (KMW News)
