Severe cold grips J&K, Ladakh

Severe cold wave conditions gripped Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh after the recent snowfall which forced the closure of the Srinagar-Jammu national highway for the fourth successive day on Sunday, officials said.

The night temperature in most parts of the two Union Territories saw a dip, with Jammu city recording its coldest night of the season at 5.8 degrees Celsius -- 3.4 notches below the normal, a Meteorological Department official said.

However, Drass in Ladakh was the coldest recorded place after the minimum temperature plummeted to minus 19.5 degrees Celsius, followed by nearby Leh at minus 13.5 degrees Celsius, he said, adding that Srinagar recorded a low of 0.5 degrees Celsius.

The 270-km Jammu-Srinagar national highway, which was closed on Thursday evening following heavy snowfall near the Jawahar Tunnel and adjoining areas, remained closed for the fourth consecutive day, a Traffic Department official said, adding that efforts are on to reopen the highway.

"The road was ...