Tashi Lama from ward 1 of Mugum Karmarong Rural Municipality in Mugu shifted to Surkhet with his family of eight during the last week of October. He said his family migrates every year to escape the harsh winter. On Saturday, approximately three feet of snow accumulated in his village.

Similarly, Tshering Tamang from ward 6 of Namkha Rural Municipality in Humla moved to Surkhet with his six-member family in mid-November. Tamang trades sheep wool and handmade goods during the winter.

“With the area receiving heavy snowfall since Friday evening, we won’t return to the village until the snow in the Nara and Nyalu areas melts,” Tamang said, adding that snow has blocked access to their village.

This year, Mugu and Humla have already experienced snowfall three times. Many villages, including Chitai, Dolphu, Kimri, Takha, and Khari in Mugum Karmarong, have been emptied as locals migrate to warmer regions for nearly six months yearly.

Public offices, schools, health posts, and police stations are non-operational due to the extreme cold, according to Tshering Kyapne Lama, chair of Mugum Karmarong Rural Municipality.

“Development works remain suspended for six months, and most of the budget is spent hurriedly in the last months of the fiscal year,” Lama said. He said that the rural municipality has allocated Rs320 million for the current fiscal year.

In the past three years, nearly Rs120 million has gone unspent, according to the municipality’s data. Although funds have been allocated for around 150 projects this year, no development expenditure has been made so far.

In Humla, the Hilsa border point with China has also been closed due to snowfall. Chief District Officer Narayan Pandey said the area is covered by three feet of snow, leaving only a few people to guard and take care of the hotels, which have largely remained empty. Security personnel from Nepal Police and the Armed Police Force continue to guard the region.

“Some schools in the upper regions are also closed, and the villages are deserted,” he said. “As of Saturday evening, snowfall continued, with up to one foot of snow in the areas surrounding the district headquarters. While the snowfall has made life difficult, farmers are happy as it will help their crops grow.”

Pandey said that air services have been disrupted in the mountainous districts of Karnali, including Humla, since Saturday due to the heavy snow. Locals are staying indoors, keeping warm by the fire, and he noted that it would take at least a week for the situation to return to normal.

While locals endure harsh indoor conditions, farmers remain optimistic about improved agricultural yields. Prem Bahadur Rokaya from ward 7 of Simkot Rural Municipality said sufficient snowfall benefits water sources and improves crop health. “Snowfall prevents pests and ensures better barley, wheat, millet, and buckwheat harvests,” Rokaya said, adding that adequate snow replenishes streams and springs throughout the year.

Tourist destinations such as Rara Lake and Shey Phoksundo Lake have also experienced their third snowfall of the season. Mahesh Neupane, senior conservation officer at Rara National Park, said the snow has enhanced the area’s beauty, raising hopes for a boost in tourism. “The snowfall will also benefit apple and crop production in the region,” Neupane said.

Similarly, Nurendra Aryal, senior conservation officer at Shey Phoksundo National Park, stated that the snow has made Phoksundo Lake even more picturesque, attracting tourists.