SDRF staff deployed in frozen Dal

Srinagar, January 14

The authorities here on Thursday deployed State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF) personnel in Dal Lake, which has frozen due to record low minimum temperature in Kashmir, to prevent people from walking on the frozen surface of the water body.

“Due to freezing temperatures, many water bodies in the Valley, including the world famous Dal Lake have frozen. It has been observed that some people, particularly youth and children, attempt to walk on the frozen water bodies,” Aamir Ali, Nodal Officer of the State Emergency Operation Centre, Srinagar, said.

Ali said moving on this thin layer of ice, particularly Dal Lake, is very risky and could result in slips, falls, fractures and fatal injuries.

“When the thickness of ice is less than four inches, it is very unsafe to walk, or play and the ice can break resulting in drowning. There are many springs inside Dal Lake and the ice is very thin at these spots and it’s difficult to spot these locations while walking or playing on the ice surface,” he said.

Ali said the District Magistrate, Srinagar, had issued an advisory to dissuade people from walking, playing or moving on the frozen Dal Lake, as it was unsafe. — PTI