By Shiva Shankar Mishra, Kalaiya, Sept. 28: Scorching heat has started affecting life in the Terai region. 

The locals have said that every day is a struggle to pass amid sweltering temperature that has caused several health problems, including headaches. The temperature there has reached 30-35 degrees Celsius.

In Bara, people from Kalaiya, Jitpur, Simara, Mahagadhimai, Simraungadh, Kolhawi, and Nijgadh expressed that the excessive heat has kept them from being physically active. 

Local grocery shops and pharmacy owners there informed that more and more people were buying oils like Navaratna and VapoRub Vicks nowadays as medication for headaches.

Following the heatwave, health experts have suggested public to keep themselves hydrated.

“Alongside drinking water continuously, people must consume fresh food items only. They shouldn’t go outdoors unless some emergency,” said Dr. Pappu Kumar Jaiswal of the Narayani Hospital.

Likewise, the doctors informed that the change in weather allows bacteria to become more active following which preventive measures should be followed.

“There are more bacteria during the hotter temperatures. Consuming boiled water and liquid food items will be useful during this period of blistering heat,” said Dr. Gyanendra Prasad Yadav.

“There is a load-shedding during the time of heatwave, and it has compounded the problem,” said Raghunath Prasad Gupta, an agriculture expert at Mahagadhimai Municipality.

The scenario is similar in the neighboring districts of Parsa and Rautahat.

“More appliances are used during the summer to keep the heat at bay. This is why there is a problem in electricity distribution,” said Hardev Prasad Gupta, chief of Kalaiya-based Nepal Electricity Authority Office.