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Snowfall in capital after sixty-two yrs
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| KATHMANDU, Feb. 14: The unexpected snow in Kathmandu caught everyone by surprise Wednesday. Weathermen too were surprised when it rained and snowed along the whole length of the country from Taplejung in the east to Dadeldhura in the west. The capital has seen the snow fall Wednesday after 62 years. The last snowfall recorded in the Valley was in 1945. For many, it was fun to see the snow for the first time in their life in their houses and courtyard, but for many others, especially in the hilly districts across the country, the snow has brought cold and only misery. People of all ages were seen frolicking outside their houses in Kathmandu amused by the white flakes. Thousands of people from Hetauda, Kathmandu, Chitwan, Birgunj, Pokhara and Dhading thronged the Daman-Palung and Simbhangyang area of Makawanpur after it began to snow since early Wednesday morning. Heavy snowfall on Simbhanjyang, which is at 2,488 metres above the sea level disrupted traffic along the Tribhuvan Highway since 11:00 in the morning. Snow has entirely engulfed the area from Nampur in the south to Tistung in the north, a stretch of about 25 kilometres. Along with snowfall, the lower belt of Palung has received rainfall as well, according to local media person Suraj Kumar Bhujel. The snowfall has also affected dozens of schools and the only college in the area. Kavre district saw snowfall in 60 years. There was rainfall in the entire district adjoning the Kathmandu Valley on the east, according to our correspondent. Normal life has been affected due to the snowfall. Vehicular traffic along the Arniko Highway was disrupted for two hours from two to four in the afternoon and was resumed after the district traffic police cleared up to 1-foot snow on the road. The Narayansthan area situated in the highest altitude gathered five feet of snow while there was continuous snowfall in the district headquarters of Dhulikhel, including the adjoining areas for an hour. Although the Mahabharat hills record some snowfall every year, this is the first time that the district headquarters has witnessed snowfall after sixty years, according to elderly members. Sitaram Timalsina of Durkhak said that there was snowfall in the Mahabharat hills from early morning. He said Durkhak, which is at the base of the Mahabharat hills, witnessed up to two feet snowfall. Areas like Durkhak, Chyamrangbesi, Milche, Phalametar, Chyasikharka, Bhugdeu inlcuding Sangha witnessed the highest snowfall. Krishna Prasad Shahi of Banepa municipality said that he had seen so much snow in Banepa only after sixty years. After the unprecedented weather change, people at Dhulikhel had come out to the streets to play with snow. People from as far as the capital city had also come to Dhulikhel to frolic in the snow. Proprietor of Dhulikhel lodge Prem Kantha Shrestha said that those coming to celebrate the Valentine's Day were also seen enjoying the snow. Meanwhile, the farmers of Kavre were happy to see that the long dry spell had ended with the sudden downpour Wednesday. They are hopeful that winter crops such as potatoes and mustard would now give a good yield. Similarly our Pokhara correspondent has reported that life in Mustang has been put off guard because of the snowfall that hit the district from Tuesday. The snowfall that set in Tuesday morning continued till mid Wednesday afternoon, Chief District Officer Pradeep Raj Kandel said over the phone. There is three feet snow at the district headquarters of Jomsom. People have been confining themselves inside their houses because of the snowfall. Electricity supply is still disrupted while telephone service has resumed after ten hours. There is still no news as to how much property has been destroyed because of the snow. Animal husbandry and food crops have been affected because of the snow. Kandel informed that nearly two feet snow had accumulated at the Jomsom airport. According to locals, the district recorded the highest rainfall Wednesday after 2054 BS. Likewise the hills at Lumle, Kande, Machhapuchre, Dhampus in the northern part of Pokhara have all been clad with snow. Although foreigner trekkers too have been affected by the snowfall, no untoward incident has been reported so far. In Taplejung in the far-east repeated snowfall in the last week has made life miserable in the whole district. The snowfall on Tuesday night has covered the whole northern part of the district. The snowfall has also affected life in southern district. According to the Kanchenjungha Conservation Area Project, all houses and trees at Ghunsa, Phale, Tapethok, Hellock, Yamphudin, Bhotegaon and Golabazaar and Yangma of Olangchungola are covered by snow. People have shut down their business and activities and have remained inside the house by the fire. Chief District Officer Him Nath Dawadi said it was the biggest snowfall in the district in seven years. Yugal Kishore Thakur, conservation officer of the project said there might be human and physical loss due to the rainfall in the north part of the district. Access to the northern side from the district headquarters has completed hampered by the snow. The adjoining district of Panchthar has also been affected by the snowfall. Schools in different VDCs have closed and transportation disrupted. However, for some young people, bitten by the Valentine bug, it was a day for merrymaking playing in the snow. But for the majority, it was a difficult time to carry on with their daily lives. Schools are closed and have been closed and transportation disrupted. In Dhankuta also, life has been disrupted by incessant rain since Tuesday night. All schools in the district have been closed due to sudden rise of cold. Hari Ghimire, headmaster of Bhasa Higher Secondary School, most of the schools are running only for a couple of hours due to rain. Even government offices, phone, fax and other communications have also been affected due to cold. Arjun Ghimire fears cattle may start dying because they have not been able to collect fodder and grass due to cold. Bus entrepreneurs said transportation had been disrupted due to rainfall at Basantapur of Tehrathum and Chitre of Dhankuta. District Hospital said children and old people have been affected the most. In Gulmi, the western region also saw the first rainfall in 20 years and people amazed and fascinated came out of their houses to watch, play with the snow and take pictures. The hilly district that saw up to two feet snow affected life with people fearing the snow might damage vegetables and the standing crop. The cut in electricity since Tuesday night has made life even more miserable. The Ridi-Tamghas road has been affected by the snow and the landslide caused by the snowfall. Vehicles from the district headquarters have stopped and those towards the district headquarters have remained stranded at Gaundakot. In Dadeldhura in the far-west Heavy snowfall since Tuesday night has affected general life in Far Western hilly districts, including Dadeldhura, with transport hit hardest. Hundreds of passengers were stranded as bus services were disrupted by two feet thick snow at Hagulte Lek on Bhimdatta Highway that links the hilly districts with the southern plains. About 200 passenger vehicles and goods carriers got stock along the 20 kilometre stretch of the road about 20 kilometres from the district headquarters of Khalanga. It has not stopped snowing yet. Likewise, heavy snowfall on Ghanaghasya Hill in the northern part stranded dozens of vehicles plying from Darchula, Bajhang and Baitadi at Khodpe of Baitadi district. Snowfall in Achham has affected vehicles plying from the district. Last year too, heavy snowfall disrupted transportation in the region. About 200 persons from the army, police and Road Department employees have been deployed to clear the road, according to Chief District Officer Dil Bahadur Ghimire. "Although they have been working very hard, it looks it will take some time to clear the road." But local farmers who were waiting for a rainfall look happy as they hope the thick snow will provide organic nutrients to their fields. |
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