Photos by: Manoj Poudel

Normal life in various Tarai district has been affected due to the cold wave accompanied by dense fog.

In Kapilvastu, those most affected by the increasing chill are school kids, the older persons and the daily wage earners.

People can be seen assembled around fires lit in the open at various places to keep the cold at bay. But there is shortage of firewood for this purpose.

Likewise, the District Administration Office has urged the people to stay indoors during the morning hours and take preventive measures to stay safe from cold-borne diseases.

The temperatures have dropped in the area following accumulation of dense fog since the past two weeks. The temperatures that would be 12 to 13 degree Celsius in previous years have plummeted to 6 degree Celsius on Saturday while the Ramnagar-based Meteorology Department recoded the maximum temperature of 14 degree Celsius.

Meanwhile, Taulihwa, Pipra and Bahadurgunj-based hospitals have seen a surge in patients suffering from respiratory ailments and asthma. “Patients aged above 50 years and below 5 years have been coming in huge numbers to receive medical treatment for cold-borne ailments since the past seven days,” informed Taulohwa hopsital’s Subash Yadav.

Similarly in Kailali, farmers are concerned as their vegetables like potato and tomato, among others, have suffered from blight due to the cold wave.

"We cultivated potato with big investment. The plants have started rotting due to the blight now. This has really discouraged the farmers who are into vegetable cultivation for commercial purpose," said one Man Bahadur Chaudhary.

Health workers say that the number of people suffering from pneumonia, cough and cold and pulmonary cases coming to the health institutions seeking treatment has also increased with the fall in temperature.

Flight services from the Dhangadhi airport have also been affected due to the dense fog, the airport office stated.