SIRAHA, JANUARY 19

Life in Tarai areas has been badly affected due to the cold wave along with thick fog for the past four days.

The excessive cold has hit children and the elderly the hardest. Thick fog in the early morning and late evening has affected life in these areas.

Regular flights have also been obstructed due to thick fog.

As many as three people have lost their lives due to the cold so far. According to Siraha District Health Office, patients with respiratory problems and common cold, among other health issues, have been reaching the hospital on a daily basis.

Golbazaar Municipality health Chief Saroj Karna said the number of patients reaching the hospital had decreased due to fear of the virus.

He said patients did not want to go to hospital due to fear of COVID-19. Most of the people stayed at home and treated themselves. Karna said the number of patients with common cold, pneumonia among other cold-related diseases had increased, but they did not want to go the hospital due to fear of coronavirus.

People's movement has also decreased due to the cold and public places and markets wear a deserted look.

Meanwhile, the local levels, in coordination with Lahan Division Forest Office have distributed firewood in the market places and bus stations, among other places, after the cold increased.

Firewood was distributed in Lahan, Golbazaar, Dhangadhimai and Mirchaiya, among other municipalities.

The poor and Dalits said that the local administration was not well-prepared to protect them from the cold. They said that they did not get relief in the cold season.

A version of this article appears in the print on January 20, 2022, of The Himalayan Times.