National
Cold spell claims six more lives in Rautahat
Six more persons died of severe cold in Rautahat district, taking the death toll caused by cold wave in the district to nine this winter.Pawan Yadav
Six more persons died of severe cold in Rautahat district, taking the death toll caused by cold wave in the district to nine this winter.
According to the District Police Office, Nusurulla Khatun (70) of Paroha Municipality-9 was ‘frozen to death’ on Tuesday morning. Security personnel, who reached the incident site, said the victim died of hypothermia due to the lack of warm clothes. Khatun was asleep in her thatched-roof house that is partially damaged.
Deputy Superintendent of Police Ram Kumar Dani said Marachhiya Devi Kurmi (65) and Shekh Samim (45) of Paroha, Sakali Devi Paswan (60) of Durga Bhagawati-5, Phulkumari Pasawan (42) of Gujara-7and Alak Prasad Singh (70) of Rajdevi-9 also died of cold in the district. Earlier, biting cold claimed three persons from Gadhimai and Rajdevi.
Most of the victims were daily wage workers from the impoverished communities. The elderly people and children are the worst affected in the cold spell. The cold victims said that they do not have warm clothes and firewood to beat the cold.
The local people complained that the government authorities did not provide any help to cold victims in the rural areas.
Meanwhile, the Nepal Army distributed firewood in various places in Gaur, the district headquarters of Rautahat. They also offered tea and bread to the locals in Dhangad settlement in Gaur-8.
The cold wave, coupled with dense fog, is taking toll on various Tarai districts in the past few days. More than 30 people have died of cold across the country this season, with Saptari being the worst hit with 17 deaths so far.