KATHMANDU, Jan 4: Continuous rain coupled with snowfall have crippled life in hill districts across the country. Hill districts from east to west have been witnessing snowfall since the last two days. Snowfall has obstructed vehicular movement in Karnali and Sudur Paschim provinces. Likewise, domestic flights to the districts have stopped due to the snowfall.

According to Repulica's Karnali Bureau, the upper hill and mountain districts of Karnali Province witnessed heavy snow on Thursday. Since Thursday afternoon, Surkhet, Jumla, Kalikot, Humla, Mugu, Jajarkot, Dolpa, Rukum, Salyan and other places in Karnali have witnessed continuous snowfall. The hill districts also had rain. Life in the mountain districts has been badly affected. Students couldn't go to school and there were very few service seekers at government offices.

Humla is not connected to the national road network and air service is the only means of outward transport. The travel plans of hundreds of people were affected by the disruption in air service.

Different places in Mugu district recorded almost one foot of snow on Thursday. According to Padam Bahadur Shahi, a resident of Mugu, life in the district has been affected.

According to the Department of Hydrology and Meteorology in Jumla, the temperature there dropped to minus 2.6 degrees Celsius Thursday. Meanwhile, Humla has been witnessing snowfall for the last two days. The temperature in Humla was recorded at minus 8 degrees Celsius. The region has received one and a half feet of snow.

Vehicular movement at Gurashe along the Surkhet-Dailekh road section was also disrupted. Talcha Airport, the only airport in Mugu district, was shut due to snow. As snowfall has started a month early this season, farmers are happy as snow brings moisture to the soil and increases agricultural output.

According to Republica's Sudur Paschim Bureau, Bhimdutta Highway, which connects seven districts of the province, was blocked at some places by snow Thursday.

“Since Thursday night, Hagulte, Anarkholi of Baitadi, Martadi of Bajura and other places along the highway remain blocked due to snowfall,” Superintendent of Police Lokendra Shrestha of the Provincial Traffic Police Office said.

All nine districts of Sudur Paschim Province have witnessed snowfall. Locals say this is the heaviest snow in the region in the last two and a half decades.

“This is the heaviest snowfall in the region since 1996,” said Bhim Bahadur Bhatta, 65, a resident of Amargadhi Municipality-7.

Meanwhile, the Department of Hydrology and Meteorology has forecast that light rain is possible at a few places in the country, with chances of light to moderate snow at some places in the high mountains Saturday. It also said it will be partly to generally cloudy throughout the country Saturday.

 
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