An excessive cold weather has affected daily life in several Tarai districts for the past few days. Dense fog has made the weather severely cold, with having no or little sunshine in the area.

As a result of the cold, several cold-related incidents have been reported across the country. A woman from Barhathawa Municipality in Sarlahi succumbed to burn injuries she sustained while keeping herself warm. She was being treated for her burns at the district hospital on Saturday. She sustained critical burn injuries on Thursday.

Three other women, according to the district police office, from Bishnu, Dhankaul and Parsa local units, also sustained burn injuries and are receiving treatment at the district hospital currently.

Because of the thick fog, vehicles have been running on the road with their headlights on due to poor visibility. Children, elderly persons and postpartum mothers are being greatly affected due to the cold wave.

As a result of the dip in temperature, the number of patients suffering from the cold-related disease is also on the rise in Sarlahi district. “Patients suffering from common cold, asthma, cold diarrhoea among other are increasing,” said Sanjib Singh, medical superintendent at the Sarlahi district hospital. According to him, four patients sustaining burn injuries while making themselves warm were taken to the hospital for treatment.

In Dhangadhi, the district headquarters of Kailali, the minimum temperature was recorded 2.8 degrees Celsius on Saturday. According to Attariya field office of the department of hydrology and meteorology, it is the lowest temperature in Dhangadhi in the past six years. The western Tarai districts have not seen much sunshine for the past two weeks. Kamaiyas (bonded labourers), landless squatters and people from the impoverished communities are hit hardest by the cold wave.