Several local units across the Tarai-Madhesh have been forced to declare summer holidays due to extreme heat, including heat waves.

Dhangadhi sub-metropolitan city in Kailali, one of the districts in western Tarai, announced a week’s holiday starting Thursday for all educational institutions after the local temperature started soaring.

Similarly, two other municipalities—Tikapur and Lamkichuha—in the district have also decided to close schools for five days starting Thursday.

Kailali Multiple Campus and other schools in Joshipur Rural Municipality have suspended all classes until June 15 after children started falling ill, even fainting, during the morning assembly.

According to the Meteorological Forecasting Division, Dhangadhi’s maximum temperature, which was 41 degrees Celsius on Monday, rose to 42 degrees on Tuesday and further increased to 43.36 degrees Celsius on Wednesday. On Friday, the maximum temperature hovered around 44.

According to the division, the temperatures in Dhangadhi from Wednesday until Friday were the highest in 28 years.

Gulariya Municipality in Bardiya district has also decided to close all private and public schools for six more days after several children fell ill during assembly and classes.

On Friday, officials of the municipality issued a notice announcing the closure of schools for at least three more days until the daytime temperature is more bearable.

Satish Yadav, head of the education unit at Gulariya Municipality, said that the municipal office had to close schools after several children started falling ill.

“The official notice regarding the extended closure of schools will be published on the municipality’s official website on Sunday,” said Yadav. “The education unit is discussing closing all the schools until June 7 due to the risk posed to children studying in such extreme temperatures,” Yadav added.

Hariram Lodh, a 68-year-old man from ward 4 of Gulariya Municipality, said that his granddaughter collapsed and started vomiting during her class on May 24.

“When we took my granddaughter to the local clinic, the doctor recommended 24-hour monitoring, and later the doctor said that she fell ill due to high temperatures,” said Lodh. “I haven’t seen temperatures this high in 30 years,” Lodh added.

According to the Meteorological Forecasting Division, the temperature in Bardiya reached 43 degrees on Friday. Similarly, the temperatures remain very high during the day—from 11:00 am until 5:00 pm, making it difficult for local residents to venture outside.

More than 300 porters of Gulariya market in Gulariya Municipality have not been able to work and earn due to the hot climate.

Ramlal Shahi, a 48-year-old porter from ward 2 of the municipality, said that he has not worked since May 23 after suddenly failing ill.

“The doctor said that the high temperature caused my nose to bleed. Because I fell on the road with nobody around and as I was carrying a heavy load on my head, I lost a lot of blood. I am still on bed rest, and the doctor has advised me to avoid going outside during the day,” said Shahi.

Similarly, Bhimdatta Municipality in Kanchanpur district has suspended classes for a week due to increasing temperature.

Classes in community and institutional schools will be closed from Friday until June 5, as the sweltering heat poses health risks to students, said Haridatta Joshi, head of the education department.

Currently, a poliovirus vaccine administration campaign is underway in Kanchanpur. Schools host the vaccination centres.

The municipal office has requested that the vaccination drive not be interrupted.

Due to the heat wave, some local units in the district have instructed schools to run classes only until 10 am, starting this week.