No respite from cold wave in Kashmir

The minimum temperature in Kashmir and Ladakh regions Monday remained several notches below the freezing point as intense cold wave conditions continued unabated across the state.

In Ladakh region's Leh town the minimum temperature was minus 12.1 early Monday morning, while it was minus 11.5 degrees in Kargil, a meteorological department official said.

The minimum temperature in Srinagar was minus 1.1 degrees Celsius. It was minus 5.6 in Pahalgam and minus 7.6 in Gulmarg, he said.

The official said: "The present cold wave conditions are likely to continue as rain/snow would occur at isolated places in the state during the next 24 hours."

In Jammu, where the minimum temperature was 9.3 degrees, the festival of 'Lohri' was celebrated Monday, which traditionally marks a change of season in the region.

It is believed that the extreme winter period ends in the northern Indian plains after the Lohri festival.