<p>Srinagar: The recent heavy snowfall may have blanketed Kashmir’s picturesque landscapes, bringing cheer to tourists and locals alike, but it also ushered in an unexpected wave of hardship.</p><p>The Valley is grappling with a severe cold wave, with night temperatures having plummeted to -8.5 °C in Srinagar, leaving homes without water, forcing many to cope with disrupted daily routines, and exposing the vulnerabilities of the region’s infrastructure.</p>.Post-snowfall restoration work under way in Kashmir valley: CM Omar Abdullah.<p>While sub-zero temperatures are common in the Valley during winter, this season, the cold has been particularly intense. On December 21, Srinagar recorded a night temperature of -8.5°C, the coldest in nearly a century. The last time it was colder was in 1934, when the temperature dipped to -12.8°C.<br></p><p>The cold wave has also led to a tragedy as on Sunday five members of a family, including three children, died of suffocation at their rented house while using a gas heater to keep warm in the border village of Gingle in Uri area of north Kashmir’s Baramulla district.<br></p><p>This forced doctors at Kashmir’s super-specialty hospital - SK Institute of Medical Sciences (SKIMS) - to issue a public advisory to prevent the carbon monoxide poisoning, advising people to install carbon monoxide detectors and ventilate their houses properly.<br></p><p>“Carbon monoxide is a colourless, odourless and tasteless gas that can be deadly if inhaled in large amounts. The number of individuals treated for CO poisoning in our critical care units has risen drastically, with many patients requiring emergency intervention,” the doctors warned.<br></p><p>58-year-old Bashir Ahmad, a resident of old city Srinagar, said they are used to the cold, “but this year is something else.”<br></p><p>“The water in the pipes is frozen solid, and there’s no way to get water. We’ve been forced to buy bottled water or melt the snow to use for cooking and drinking,” he said.<br></p><p>In recent decades, the traditional Kashmiri homes, built to withstand the extreme cold with mud plastering and small windows, have been replaced by modern concrete structures that offer little insulation against the region’s harsh winters.<br></p><p>The cold wave has also led to power outages, further complicating the daily life of residents. Many areas of Srinagar have experienced frequent blackouts, while the snow-covered power lines in rural areas have led to extended electricity cuts, sometimes lasting over several days.<br></p><p>In the tourism sector, the snowfall has brought mixed reactions. While visitors have flocked to the region to witness the winter wonderland, businesses and hoteliers are concerned about the longer-term impact on tourism if the weather conditions persist and the infrastructure continues to falter.<br></p><p>“Tourists love snow, but they also need basic services like water and power. We have to rely on generators to keep the services going,” said Abdul Majeed, who runs a guest house in Tangmarg.</p>
<p>Srinagar: The recent heavy snowfall may have blanketed Kashmir’s picturesque landscapes, bringing cheer to tourists and locals alike, but it also ushered in an unexpected wave of hardship.</p><p>The Valley is grappling with a severe cold wave, with night temperatures having plummeted to -8.5 °C in Srinagar, leaving homes without water, forcing many to cope with disrupted daily routines, and exposing the vulnerabilities of the region’s infrastructure.</p>.Post-snowfall restoration work under way in Kashmir valley: CM Omar Abdullah.<p>While sub-zero temperatures are common in the Valley during winter, this season, the cold has been particularly intense. On December 21, Srinagar recorded a night temperature of -8.5°C, the coldest in nearly a century. The last time it was colder was in 1934, when the temperature dipped to -12.8°C.<br></p><p>The cold wave has also led to a tragedy as on Sunday five members of a family, including three children, died of suffocation at their rented house while using a gas heater to keep warm in the border village of Gingle in Uri area of north Kashmir’s Baramulla district.<br></p><p>This forced doctors at Kashmir’s super-specialty hospital - SK Institute of Medical Sciences (SKIMS) - to issue a public advisory to prevent the carbon monoxide poisoning, advising people to install carbon monoxide detectors and ventilate their houses properly.<br></p><p>“Carbon monoxide is a colourless, odourless and tasteless gas that can be deadly if inhaled in large amounts. The number of individuals treated for CO poisoning in our critical care units has risen drastically, with many patients requiring emergency intervention,” the doctors warned.<br></p><p>58-year-old Bashir Ahmad, a resident of old city Srinagar, said they are used to the cold, “but this year is something else.”<br></p><p>“The water in the pipes is frozen solid, and there’s no way to get water. We’ve been forced to buy bottled water or melt the snow to use for cooking and drinking,” he said.<br></p><p>In recent decades, the traditional Kashmiri homes, built to withstand the extreme cold with mud plastering and small windows, have been replaced by modern concrete structures that offer little insulation against the region’s harsh winters.<br></p><p>The cold wave has also led to power outages, further complicating the daily life of residents. Many areas of Srinagar have experienced frequent blackouts, while the snow-covered power lines in rural areas have led to extended electricity cuts, sometimes lasting over several days.<br></p><p>In the tourism sector, the snowfall has brought mixed reactions. While visitors have flocked to the region to witness the winter wonderland, businesses and hoteliers are concerned about the longer-term impact on tourism if the weather conditions persist and the infrastructure continues to falter.<br></p><p>“Tourists love snow, but they also need basic services like water and power. We have to rely on generators to keep the services going,” said Abdul Majeed, who runs a guest house in Tangmarg.</p>