Srinagar: A severe cold wave tightened its grip over the Kashmir Valley and the Ladakh region on Monday as temperatures dropped several notches below the freezing point.

At minus 24.8 degrees Celsius, Drass town was the coldest in Jammu and Kashmir where even the maximum temperature remained below the freezing point at minus 9.8.

Water bodies in the Valley remained frozen as did the water supply taps in Srinagar and elsewhere.

Srinagar recorded minus 4 degrees Celsius, Pahalgam minus 12.5 and Gulmarg minus 11 as the minimum temperatures on Monday.

Leh town recorded minus 11.8 degrees Celsius and Kargil minus 17.6 as the minimum temperature.

Jammu city recorded 5.6 degrees Celsius, Katra 4.2, Batote minus 1.1, Banihal minus 0.1 and Bhaderwah minus 1.5 as the night’s lowest temperatures. IANS