February 23: Snowfall in different parts of the country has elated farmers. The farmers in various districts of Sudurpaschim Province have expressed happiness over the rainfall with the hope that the winter crop will yield better after the snowfall.

According to the state-owned RSS, rainfall along with snowfall occurred in different place of the province on Thursday afternoon.

This is the second time that the far western parts of Nepal witnessed snowfall this winter. Earlier, snowfall had occurred in the first week of February.    

The farmers of Solukhumbu are also delighted with the rain coupled with snowfall. The district had being suffering from drought for a long time and the rain with snowfall on Thursday brought cheers to the farmers. The wheat crop is likely to benefit while farmers can now plant other food crops.    
Lhakpa Sherpa, a farmer of Salleri, said that the land was dry due to lack of winter rain but the delayed rain and snowfall has provided them some relief.    
Likewise, Keshav Prasad Koirala of Panchan said that the crops were drying up and the land was turning into a desert.

"Yesterday's rain brought happiness to the farmers through it did not rain enough to soak the land," he said. Farmers now hope that the crops that have dried up due to drought will flourish again.    

Likewise, tourists who reached the Everest region are also happy after the snowfall. Dati Sherpa of Lukla said that Khumbu region is finally looking like Khumbu in real sense.

“We are happy and the tourists too also enjoying the snow, while the mountains are finally covered with snow.”  
Meanwhile, heavy snowfall since Thursday afternoon briefly obstructed vehicular movement along the Jaya Prithvi Highway in Sudur Paschim Province on Thursday.

Inspector Nandaraj Joshi, spokesperson of the District Police Office, Baitadi said that snowfall took place in Khodpe, Anarkholi, Harichan, Dudilakhan, Dholyamode, Bithad and other areas.  

Meanwhile, snowfall has also been reported in central parts of Nepal including Manang. 

(Updated news with inputs from RSS)