Imphal, January 05 2010: Unlike the past few years people living in the high altitude hill districts of Manipur have experienced the coldest weather since the past few days forcing them to stay indoor in the morning.

Though Imphal recorded its coldest day for the ongoing winter on December 29 with a minimum temperature of 2.7 degree Celsius till date , the hill districts are battered with chill winds and snowflakes.

Sadly no weather observatory machines are installed at the five hill districts of Senapati, Ukhrul, Churachandpur, Tamenglong and Chandel.

This being the case, one cannot measure the severe chill in these districts predominately settled by Christains.

Meteorology officials at Imphal said the cold wave comes from the Himalayan range.

"We cannot exactly say the exact temperature in the hills until and unless the weather observatory apparatus are installed and plans are afoot to do it, they added.

"It is terribly cold out here and people remain indoor till we get sunlight around 9am since the last few days.

We have seen snowflakes falling around the scenic Siroy hill range," said S Shaiza , a resident of Ukhrul district headquarters said.

Thekho Peter of the remote Liyai village in Senapati district said all water bodies of the area are frozen by the chill weather and people had to skip their morning activities in the hills only to get themselves warm by burning logs and charcoals at home not only in time but also in the morning.

J Dangmei, a resident of Tamenglong district said the people in the district experienced their coldest days this time after several years.

"We have also seen snowflakes falling in some parts of the district early in the morning," he said.

The same phenomenon also occurs at Chandel district bordering Myanmar, said its residents adding that people had to stock pile large quantity of charcoal and burn them to beat the cold.

Unlike the hills, Imphal feels a bit warmer gradually with the mercury rising up point by point since the last one week.

According to the Met officials manning the weather station attached to Imphal airport, the capital recorded 2.7 degree celsus on December 29, 2.4 (December 30), 4.5 (December 31), 4.9 (Jan 1, 2010), 4.3 (January 2), 2.9 (January 3) 3.2 (January 4) and 5.8 (January 5/Tuesday).

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