Thousands of households waited for the water to be turned back on and pedestrians slipped and fell on icy streets Monday as bitingly cold weather across the nation's capital froze water gauges and major streets and roads. More than 3,687 wrecked water meters were reported to the Seoul metropolitan government's office of waterworks early Monday morning, as the morning lows fell to minus 14.4 degrees Celsius in the city. Officials predict the damage from wrecked water-gauges would increase to 4,000 instances when unreported cases are considered. The authorities recommended citizens block the cold from entering water-gauge boxes by filling them with old clothes. Ice snarled city streets and highways, causing minor traffic accidents.