At least 10 cold-related deaths occurred in Saptari and Rautahat districts over past two days, authorities said on Friday.

Persistent cold wave conditions and dense fog have sent the mercury plummeting in the Tarai region over the past few weeks, causing hardship to the general life. Cold has led to more than 40 deaths in several Tarai districts this winter. More than half of these fatalities have been reported in Saptari, where 25 people have died so far.

Saptari police said five people died of suspected hypothermia in the district over past two nights. 

A homeless man, identified as Dundiraj Pokharel, 40, and Shyam Devi Singh, 70, were found dead at Hanumannagar Kankalini Rural Municipality-1 and Tilathi Koiladi Rural Municipality-4 on Friday morning. Saro Devi Mukhiya, 52, and Saraswat Sah, 70, of Chhinnamasta Rural Municipality-2, and Shanti Devi Yadav, 60, of Kankalini Rural Municiaplity-1 were found dead on Thursday.

Saptari Chief District Officer Bhagirath Pandey said he has requested the local units and other concerned authorities in the district to organise public awareness campaign to inform people about cold wave and the ways to survive the weather. 

He said it is a general lack of awareness about cold wave and its impact that has led to so many deaths in the district. 

Pandey added the local administration has already distributed 10,000 blankets to the people vulnerable to cold so far. 

Meanwhile, cold wave death toll in Rautahat has climbed to 16, with five more cases of hypothermia deaths reported in the district in the last two days.  

DSP Ram Kumar Dani at Rautahat District Police Office said one-year-old Rekha Kumari Yadav of Madhavnarayan Rural Municipality-4, Dhupali Devi Sah, 65, of Madhavnarayan Rural Municipality-7, Ramchandra Sah, 55, of Baudhimai Rural Municipality-9, Rambrikshya Sah, 74, of Gadhimai Rural Municipality-9 and Bhikshu Thakur Hajam, 65, of Gadhimai Rural Municipality-7 froze to their deaths on Thursday and Friday. Most of the victims belonged to the families who were displaced by last year’s flood.

DSP Dani said there are many flood-displaced families in the district who are without warm clothes and proper shelters.