Srinagar: Kashmir Valley is experiencing record temperatures as intense heat makes several places here reel. On Sunday, the valley recorded the highest July temperatures in 25 years, PTI reported,

According to the meteorological office, the maximum temperature in Srinagar city on Sunday was 36.2 degrees Celsius, the hottest July day since July 9, 1999, when the mercury had settled at 37 degrees Celsius.

The hottest day in July in Srinagar was on July 10, 1946, when the mercury rose to 38.3 degrees Celsius.

The towns of Qazigund and Kokernag in southern Kashmir also recorded their hottest day in July on Sunday.

Qazigund recorded a maximum temperature of 35.6 degrees Celsius, beating the previous record temperature of 34.5 degrees Celsius recorded on July 11, 1988.

In Kokernag, the mercury rose to 34.1 degrees Celsius, compared to the previous 33.3 degrees Celsius recorded on July 3 this year.

The mercury in this south Kashmir town had previously risen above 33 degrees only once, on July 8, 1993.

The Met predicts that rain will fall in isolated areas of the Kashmir Valley over the next 24 hours, which is expected to bring the mercury down.

In another news report, it is said that the Tihar Jail authorities are imposing restrictions on Kashmiri prisoners amid the oppressive summer heat without adequate relief; the latest being denying them weekly phone calls to their family members. And this too, is being done against the court orders.

Despite favorable court orders allowing these phone calls, the Tihar jail administration has imposed an unwritten restriction specifically targeting Kashmiri prisoners. Families report that jail authorities have verbally informed prisoners of the abrupt cessation of phone calls, leaving them unable to communicate with their loved ones for more than a week, The Wire reported.