The advancing cold across the country since last week is already having detrimental impact, especially on the poor and disadvantaged people in the Tarai districts.

The plummeting temperatures compounded with fog has affected the lives of over 2.5 million people living in shanties and huts.

Reports from the Tarai districts, namely Siraha, Saptari, Rautahat and Kailali state an exponential growth in the number of patients suffering from cold-related illness such as fever, headache, diarrhoea, common cold and pneumonia. Every year, between December and February, several Tarai districts reports a number of deaths caused by cold.

 “Poverty is an important risk factor contributing to winter mortality in Tarai districts,” said Rameshwor Dangal , chief at the Disaster Management Division under the Ministry of Home Affairs (MoHA).

The lack of proper shelter, warm clothes and nutritious food are among the factors that cause the poor and disadvantaged groups suffer from the cold-related conditions. “The mortality is increasing every year,” he added.

A report from Dailekh district state that the Rautes, forest-dwelling nomadic ethnic group, are already grappling with cold condition and moving to warmer places. “We are in need of warm clothes and tarpaulins to keep ourselves warm. The women and children are suffering the most,” said Mahin Bahadur Shahi, leader of Raute community from Dailekh. According to him, the existing shelters are in dilapidated state and with the advancing winter, sleeping inside the tents is difficult.

As in previous years during the winter, the MoHA has directed the District Disaster Relief Committees in all concerned Tarai districts to strengthen their efforts in creating awareness on how to save the families from cold through local media and other relevant mediums, provide prompt medical care to the affected people, and engage the security personnel to manage firewood and make fires in areas identified as the most affected from cold condition.

“Our efforts in helping the vulnerable communities in the Tarai districts will not be affected by the attention required for the earthquake-affected households in other parts,” Dangal said.

The Meteorological Forecasting Division has forecast partly cloudy weather condition in hill districts with gradual drop in temperatures in other parts of the country. On Wednesday, all the meteorological stations except Dharan in eastern Nepal recorded minimum temperatures below 10 degree Celsius, with Jumla recording the lowest at -6.5 degree Celsius. Kathmandu recorded the minimum day temperature of 3.4 degree Celsius.