Dehradun, Jan 12 (IANS): Following heavy snowfall in many regions, an intense cold wave in Uttarakhand have forced people to stay indoors as the mercury plummeted below average in most places.

According to the regional Met office, the temperature at Munsiari, Nainital, Mussourie and Haridwar has gone below zero degree Celsius.

The temperature in the state capital Dehradun, for the first time in the season touched 2.9 degrees Celsius.

The weatherman has predicted that the condition would continue to be the same for the next one week.

Heavy snowfall was reported over the past one week in Badrinath, Gangotri, Kedarnath, Yamunotri, Rudraprayag, Tihri, Pauri and Chamoli.

Owing to the snowfall, eleven roads including the Dharasu-Badkot and Gangotri highways have been closed for traffic.

Temperature in Mussourie was recorded at 0.5 degrees celsius, Nainital (-1.5), Haridwar (-0.1), Pithoragarh (1.2), Roorkie (3.2) and Rishikesh (4.0).

The mercury dropped to minus 18 degrees Celsius in Yamunotri, minus 16 degrees Celsius in Gangotri, minus 11 degrees Celsius in Kedarnath and minus 8 degrees Celsius in Badrinath.