Cold, thick fog affect life in Tarai districts

By A Staff Reporter,Kathmandu, Jan. 25: Several Tarai districts, including Sarlahi, Sunsari and Jhapa are grappling with a severe cold spell as thick fog and clouds blanket the region.

The thick fog has also affected flights and vehicular movements, especially in the daytime. As a result, many people who had booked air tickets or planned to fly to Kathmandu from Bhadrapur, Biratnagar and Bhairahawa were compelled to travel by bus.

“In lack of flights due to fog, I arrived in Kathmandu by bus from Bhairahawa on Thursday,” said Basanta Rimal.     

However, the Department of Hydrology and Meteorology has not declared a cold wave in the Tarai this year, as the criteria for such a condition have not been met. 

Senior meteorologist Pratibha Manandhar from the Meteorological Forecasting Division said that a cold wave is declared when visibility drops below 1500 metres consistently, but such a condition has not been observed this season.

However, residents are feeling the brunt of the cold, even without an official announcement of a cold wave.

Our Sarlahi correspondent Janarjan Khatri reported that dense fog and frost over the past three days have significantly disrupted daily life. Since Wednesday, the district has been wrapped in thick fog, with frost persisting, making it challenging for people to step outdoors. Extreme cold has particularly impacted schoolchildren, government employees, farmers and daily wage labourers. The situation was no different in Sarlahi on Friday as well. 

Despite the adverse conditions, children are attending schools. Schools, which recently reopened after winter break, are struggling to maintain regular classes. Bhim Khadka, a teacher at Nepal Rashtriya Janata Secondary School in Badaripurghari, said the cold has made teaching-learning activities difficult.

Dr. Chandan Chaudhary, Medical Superintendent at Nagar Hospital in Lalbandi, reported a rise in cold-related illnesses such as fever among residents.

Farmers are also grappling with the challenge of protecting their livestock and poultry, as providing adequate feed and shelter has become increasingly difficult. The cold conditions have also led to a decline in people’s movements, leaving marketplaces deserted.