IIOJK faces extreme cold as Chillai-Kalan kicks off
Srinagar: The 40-day period of severe winter, known as ‘Chillai- Kalan’ has begun in Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir today.
According to Kashmir Media Service, Chillai-Kalan will last until January 30 of the coming year. This intense cold phase is marked by extreme temperatures, often dipping well below freezing. During this period, water bodies, including the renowned Dal Lake, freeze over. Additionally, frost accumulation on water supply lines leads to significant disruptions in water supply across Srinagar and other districts, causing widespread inconvenience and hardship for residents.
The biting cold during Chillai-Kalan forces people to stay indoors, with unheated rooms becoming nearly impossible to inhabit. Following the Chilla Kalan, IIOJK will experience the Chillai-Khurd (small cold) phase from January 31 to February 19, and the Chillai-Bachha (baby cold) will occur from February 20 to March 2.
Srinagar today recorded its coldest December night in years, with temperatures plunging to minus 8.5°C, marking the third-lowest December temperature recorded in the city in the past 133 years. Other areas also experienced severe cold: Shopian in South Kashmir recorded a low of minus 10.4°C, Islamabad reached minus 10.5°C, Pulwama dipped to minus 10.3°C, and Kulgam settled at minus 6.8°C.
Meanwhile, the parts of Dal Lake also froze today amidst the coldest night of season in Srinagar, and the people living in the houseboats were seen making their way through the water body this morning.
In response to the extreme conditions, the authorities have announced winter vacations for degree colleges in the Kashmir Valley and Jammu Division’s winter zones, starting from December 27.
