Mercury dipped to minus 5 degree Celcius between midnight and early today at Sandinala on the outskirts of the tourist town in the Nilgiris.

The area has recorded minus 3 degrees three days ago in the early hours, forcing people to stay indoors till noon.

The temperature stayed at minus 3 degrees till midnight yesterday and suddenly dipped to minus 5 degrees in the wee hours of Thursday, official sources said. As a result, the majority of waterbodies had a thin layer of ice with stones and paper cups on the surface.