DHANGADHI: Increasing cold wave since three days accompanied by dense fog cover has affected normal life in the far west districts, mainly Kailali and Kanchanpur.

The dip in mercury has largely affected the elderly, children and the poor people of the far west, especially of underprivileged social group like Kamaiya and landless squatters.

Number of patients complaining of diarrhoea, cough and cold, typhoid, pneumonia and respiratory diseases has also increased among the people in the area.

This condition has led to a long hours of fog cover, making the life of the people difficult. The main cities in the western Tarai as Nepalgunj, Bardiya, Dhangadhi, Tikapur, Kohalpur and Kanchanpur have been suffering from cold wave for the last two days.

The local farmers have stated that the cold wave has destroyed their crops of mustard, tomatoes, potatoes, wheat, chickpea and other winter vegetables.

Singal Chaudhari, an official from Nepal Department of Hydrology and Meteorology, informed that the maximum recorded temperature is 18.1 degree centigrades with minimum temperature of 14.8 degree centigrades.

Meanwhile, air services to different destinations have also affected because of the poor visibility, the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN), Nepalgunj, stated.

(With inputs from Rastriya Samachar Samiti)