Srinagar, Jan 10 (IANS): Most of the lakes and other water bodies started freezing in the Kashmir Valley Tuesday as the maximum temperature also fell below zero degree Celsius for the first time this season here.

"For the first time this season, the maximum temperature fell below the freezing point yesterday (Monday). The minimum was minus 2.8 degrees in Srinagar today (Tuesday)," Abdul Rashid Zargar, assistant director of the local weather office, said here.

"The dipping of the maximum temperature below the freezing point in Srinagar and other parts of the valley has added to the severe cold. The night temperatures are likely to fall further," he said.

Another western disturbance is approaching the valley by the weekend, and under its influence there could be a major snowfall, he added.

The minimum temperature in south Kashmir's Pahalgam hill station was minus 11.4 while it was minus 16.2 at Gulmarg ski resort and minus 14.8 in the Leh town of Ladakh region.

The Dal Lake in Srinagar has started freezing at many places, and the local fishermen and shikarawallahs are finding it difficult to row their boats.

Highly slippery road conditions in Srinagar and other places are causing many people to slip and tumble and even suffer broken bones, and the bones and joints hospital here has reported large numbers of such cases the past few days.

"Cases of broken limbs have increased manifold during the last three days," a doctor said.

Motorists have been advised to drive with extreme caution as frozen ice has made the roads are highly slippery. Two-wheeler owners and drivers have been told to stay off the roads.