Heavy Snowfall and Rainfall Disrupt Life and Election Campaigns in Nepal's Karnali Province

Surkhet. Public life in Karnali Province has been affected due to snowfall and rain. While snowfall is occurring in the mountainous districts, the hilly districts are experiencing increased cold due to the rain. The peaks in the mountainous districts are completely covered in snow. Continuous rain has been falling in Karnali since last night.

In the mountainous districts of Jumla, Humla, Mugu, and Dolpa, air traffic services have been suspended due to snowfall, and electricity services have also been disrupted. According to Purnakumar Sarki of Dolpa, communication services have also been affected there. He stated, 'Electricity was interrupted due to snowfall and rain, and communication services were affected because the power supply was cut off.'

Extreme cold has forced people to stay indoors, and livestock cannot be taken out of their shelters.

Leaders are busy campaigning in villages for the upcoming elections scheduled for Falgun 21. Leaders say that the election campaign has also been affected by the snowfall. Former Chief Minister of Karnali and Congress leader Jeevan Bahadur Shahi shared a video on social media stating that election campaigning has become arduous due to the snowfall.

Dr. Dipendra Rokaya, a House of Representatives candidate from the CPN (UML) in Humla, stated that Simikot headquarters is covered in white due to the snow, and the election campaign has been affected. He said, 'We are ready to go door-to-door to the people, but the snow is welcoming us.'

Due to the rain, electricity has also been disrupted in Surkhet, and communication services are not functioning. According to the Nepal Electricity Authority's Surkhet office, the power service was interrupted because trees fell in the jungle area along the Kohalpur-Surkhet 33 KV transmission line, damaging the wires. The authority stated that work is underway to restore the service.

Relief for Winter Crops

Farmers have stated that the snowfall and rain have brought relief to the winter crops. Arjun Buda of Thathikandh Rural Municipality-1, Dailekh, said that the rain has greatly relieved the winter cultivation. He said, 'Wheat was starting to dry up due to the lack of rain this year; the wheat plants had turned yellow. The rain has provided some relief.'

Mukunda Sharma, an agriculture officer at the Ministry of Land Management, Agriculture, and Cooperatives of Karnali Province, stated that the winter rain has been a great relief for farmers cultivating winter crops. He said, 'Winter crops like wheat and barley were facing the risk of drying up and pest infestation due to drought. There has been some relief.' According to him, rain in the month of Poush is even better for winter cultivation, although he noted that the rain this time has come a bit late.