Behind cheer of snowfall: Record cold, frozen pipes in Kashmir
What's the story
Kashmir is reeling under an unprecedentedly harsh winter, with temperatures hitting record lows.
Srinagar recorded a night temperature of -8.5 degrees Celsius, the lowest since 1934.
Popular tourist resort Gulmarg witnessed temperatures dip to -13°C, and Shopian has been facing night temperatures of around -10°C for the past few days.
Infrastructure challenges
Frozen pipes and sunless days add to residents' woes
The extreme cold has left residents with frozen water pipes and sunless days, making life difficult.
Irshad Ahmad of Shalteng, Srinagar, emphasized the challenge of frozen PPR water pipes. "One can live with the cold, but not without water," he said.
The severe weather has also caused tragic incidents. In Uri's Gingle village, five family members suffocated to death while using a gas heater to keep warm.
Housing transition
Traditional Kashmiri houses give way to concrete structures
Over the years, traditional Kashmiri houses built for cold weather have been replaced by concrete structures that provide little insulation.
Many residents are now adding hamams—rooms with traditional underfloor heating—into their homes.
However, electric under-floor heating systems are expensive and unreliable due to frequent power cuts.
"An electric hamam costs around ₹50,000 for a room, but its running cost is too high for an average middle-class family," said Nazir Ahmad, a Srinagar resident, according to Indian Express.
Weather disruption
Recent snowfall disrupts life, authorities work to restore normalcy
The recent snowfall has added to the woes of Kashmir. Parts of the Valley received 18-30 inches of snow overnight between Sunday and Monday, temporarily disrupting air and surface traffic on Monday morning.
Flights from Srinagar airport resumed later in the morning after the weather improved. Traffic on the Srinagar-Jammu national highway was also restored.
Chief Minister Omar Abdullah said restoration work is on and is being closely monitored by government officials.
Assistance efforts
Police mobilize teams to assist tourists and locals
The MeT office in Srinagar predicts mostly dry weather till mid-January, with scattered snow and rain in isolated places.
Gulmarg was the coldest place during the intervening night of Sunday and Monday, with the temperature plummeting to -4.5°C.
In view of these conditions, police in Ganderbal have mobilized teams to help tourists and locals affected by the snow.
The teams are helping stranded people and vehicles in Sonamarg, Gund, Kangan, etc.