Two more people have died in Rautahat on Monday as severe winter cold continue to grip this Tarai district.

Sheikh Samim, 45, of Paroha Municipality-2 and Marsiya Devi Kurmi of Paroha Municipality-9 succumbed to biting cold Sunday, the District Police Office, Rautahat said.

With this, the number of cold-related deaths in the district has reached five.

The other victims are Maharjan Thakur Hajam, 55, of Gadimai Municipality-4; Ayodhi Ray Yadav, 75, of Rajdevi Municipality-7; and Nek Mahammed Ali from Sarlahi who had arrived here to work in a brick kiln.

Increasing cold wave coupled with thick fog sweeping across the district since the past one week has thrown the normal life out of gear, forcing the District Education Office to take a decision to close community schools for additional four days (beginning from yesterday, Sunday). However, almost private schools remain open as the exam is yet to be over.

The District Forest Office is distributing firewood from nine places for making public fires so that the people can keep themselves warm, according to Forest Officer Dirgha Narayan Koirala.  RSS