Bajura, December 30

The bone-chilling cold in the aftermath of a cold wave has badly affected life in the hilly areas of Karnali and the Far-west Province.

Locals in the area have started to shift towards the lower parts to beat the cold while education institutions have also been closed for 15 days for the same reason.

Chairman at Tajamaula Rural Municipality Bagdal Malla, said the locals began to move to the lower parts due to excessive cold. “Families along with their cattle have shifted from the high hill areas due to the bone-chilling cold,” he said. Malla added that though there was no rainfall, the cold had increased by the day.

Locals at Himali, Swamikartika and Pandagufa rural municipalities, and Budhinanda Municipality of Bajura have shifted to Kolti and Martadi.

Dharma Lal Rokaya, a local of Himali Rural Municipality, said they could not stay in villages of the high hilly areas due to excessive cold.  He said they had shifted to warmer

places with their families and cattle.

Similarly, life in Bajhang and Darchula has also been affected due to the cold. The number of viral patients at Humla, Mugu, Jumla and Kalikot, among other places of Karnali have also increased in the local health centres due to extreme cold.

Health workers said patients of common cold, fever and diarrhoea, among other cold-related diseases had increased in the health facilities. Daily official work has also been affected in government and non-government offices.

Meanwhile, Bajura Assistant Chief District Officer Khegendra Bahadur Malla said excessive cold following the cold wave had adversely affected life in the district.

In winter, the Tarai and the high Himalayan regions face the brunt of cold waves which cause death and injury to livestock and wildlife, and people, mainly the elderly and children.