AIZAWL: Mizoram in the midst of an intense cold wave with mercury in the state capital plumetting to an all-time low of 5.6 degrees Celsius on Saturday, officials said. With Saturday's maximim temperature pegged at 17.6 degrees, Dr Vanlalzara of the planning department's science and technology wing said it was the city's coldest day in 15 years since the state started maintining weather records.
Icy rainfall that hit the Aizawl city last week is responsible for the cold wave during the past four days. The phenomenon of January rain, known to the agrarian Mizo society as 'Pawldelh ruah' (rain that falls on hay). While a number of shops remained closed and most chose to return home early, the chill also triggered a sudden leap in sale of charcoal.