Bajura, December 15

Continuous snowfall since last Thursday has disrupted the Martadi-Kolti road section in Bajura. The passengers heading towards Humla, Mugu and the local levels of Bajura have been stranded due to snowfall.

The supply of daily essentials has also been halted due to obstruction of the road section. Development projects have also been badly affected after construction materials could not be supplied following the same.

Civil Society leader Janesh Bhandari said Pokhare Lake along the road section received two to three feet thick snow. He said there was no possibility of operating vehicles along the road stretch due to heavy and continuous snowfall. Auxiliary Mid-wife working at Adventist Development and Relief Agency Nepal Susmita Pariyar said people were compelled to walk on the road blanketed with snow due to road obstruction.

“It is very difficult to walk on the snow-filled road and there is zero chance of resuming operation of vehicles,” she added.  She said life in the mountain areas had been affected due to continuous snowfall.

Pariyar said education institutions in the mountain areas were also closed due to snowfall. “With snowfall accompanied by rain, cold has increased sharply and children and elderly citizens have been hit hard,” she said.

The continuous snowfall following rain for the past three days has hit the hilly areas of Sudurpaschim and Karnali provinces. Life in Bajhang, Humla, Jumla, Mugu, Bajura, Darchula, Baitadi, Achham, among other districts, has been adversely affected. Work in government offices has also been affected.

Locals said snowfall in Kanda, Dolichaur, Surmaand Gadara, among other upper areas of Bajhang, had yet to stop. Regular air flights from Nepalgunj to Bajura, Humla, Jumla, Dolpa and Mugu have also been disrupted.

Himali Rural Municipality-3 Ward Chair Dhayne Rokaya said people could not travel from one place to another from wards 1, 2 and 3 of Himali Rural Municipality and Bichhaya Rural Municipality due to continuous snowfall. He said the upper areas were completely disconnected.

According to Nepal Telecom, Bajura, telephone service and internet services have been affected in the hilly districts of Sudurpaschim after the tower went dysfunctional at Hagulte in Dadeldhura on Thursday.