Limi’s temperature falls to minus 220 C, Kalikot receives heavy snowfall

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By Rajan Rawat/Prem Raj Simkhada,Humla/Kalikot, Jan. 28: The minimum temperature in Limi, a village in Humla, has dropped to minus 22 degrees Celsius.

Known as the village beyond the mountains, Limi experiences literally freezing temperatures every winter. This year too, the mercury dropped to 20 degrees below zero last week and had stayed there until two days ago when snowfall pushed it down to minus 22. 

People expect the temperature to dip further as it has still not stopped snowing.

According to Khendap Tamang of Halji, Namkha Rural Municipality–6, extreme cold has made life very difficult for the residents of Limi. “We are currently facing a shortage of drinking water because all water sources have frozen over,” he informed. “Even the water in supply pipes have turned into ice.” 

Tamang said that the locals were having to collect the snow falling from the sky and melt it to get water.

Limi is presently blanketed under three feet of snow which has also made mobility difficult. Herders, too, have not been able to take their yaks to pastures for grazing.

Ward Chairman Paljor Tamang said that the entire area had been placed under “lockdown” by nature. People wishing to enter or exit Limi can only do so through two points: the Nara Pass located at an altitude of 4,600 metres above sea level and the Nyalu Pass located at an altitude of 5,000 metres above sea level. However, both these passes are currently blocked by over four feet of snow.

“In case of emergencies, we have no option but to charter a helicopter,” chairman Tamang said. 

The hardship is exacerbated by the fact that the local health post does not have any medical personnel. 

So, the locals are forced to go out for even small ailments. “But going out has now become impossible,” Tamang worried. 

Meanwhile,  Kalikot received heavy snowfall on Friday. 

The upland settlements of the district have been blanketed by heavy snowfall since early morning. Almost all the settlements within Tilagufa Municipality have been covered by snow.

Deputy Mayor of the Tilagufa Municipality Mahendra Bahadur Shahi said that the farmers were happy as they received snowfall after a long drought. However, the locals have faced problems in feeding their cattle after the snowfall. 

Sheep and goats are affected more by the snowfall as their grazing land is covered by snow, Shahi added.

All nine local levels, including Raskot Municipality, Shannitriveni Rural Municipality, Narharinath Rural Municipality of the district, received snowfall on Friday.

DSP Jaishwar Rimal, Chief of the District Police Office in Kalikot, said that Nagm and municipality centre Galje of Tilgufa, Chilkhaya, Chapre and Howdi Police Station of Subhkalika Rural Municipality have also been covered by snow. The police station was affected by the snowfall because it is in high altitude.

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