Height of cold: Ooty in Tamil Nadu at 2240 mts above sea level almost freezes

Temperature in Ooty in Southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu has plummeted to near zero, leaving people shivering in biting cold. This unseasonal climatic has also affected farming in this hill district.The unexpected dip in mercury has resulted in health issues among people. Locals said such cold, dry spell is usually witnessed during November-December.In many places, people were seen ligting bonfire and sitting around it to keep themselves warm.A report by PTI said as per official data, temperature was recorded at 1 degree Celsius at Kanthal and Thalaikuntha in Udhagamandalam while the mercury was a notch higher at 2 degrees Celsius in Botanical Garden. Sandynallah was warmer at 3 degrees Celsius.Weather in Ooty giving shivers to residentsResidents and environmental activists are concerned as well as worried over the relatively 'unseasonal' cold that has gripped the mountains.V Sivadas of the Nilagiri Environment Social Trust (NEST) believes the change is due to global warming and El-nino effect."The onset of the cold is delayed and such a climatic change is a big challenge to the Nilgiris," he said, adding that study should be conducted about this.The lush green lawns in Ooty are covered with frost and dense fog has affected visibility.The tea plantation, taken up on a large scale here, also faces challenges.R Sukumaran, secretary of a local tea workers union said heavy rains in December and the subsequent cold period has affected tea plantation.He also expressed fears that this could affect production in the coming months.Vegetable farmers said the weather has affected cabbages in particular.N Ravichandran, a government employee, said it was difficult to leave home early for work due to the cold conditions.Though one wears the required attire to keep warm, it was still difficult to drive two-wheelers, leading to health issues such as difficulty in breathing, severe headache and fever.With inputs from PTI