A severe cold wave has tightened its hold over Sonepur district, with Binika and Dunguripali experiencing biting winter conditions for the past three consecutive days. Thick fog blanketed major roads, drastically reducing visibility and forcing residents to light roadside fires to keep warm.

According to reports, temperatures have continued to fall steadily since the recent rainfall ended, prolonging the cold spell.

Residents Concerned Over Visibility

A local resident described the conditions as increasingly unbearable. “The cold is so intense that we cannot feel our hands and feet in the morning. The fog is so dense that our clothes get wet after passing through it. The cold is bone-chilling and unbearable,” he said.

Another resident expressed concern over travel safety. “Visibility has dropped to just a few metres. We are scared to travel because such foggy conditions can cause accidents. The cold is very bitter, and it is affecting life drastically. The fog persists until 10 am every day,” he noted.

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With temperatures showing no sign of rising, residents are depending on makeshift fires and extra layers of clothing to cope with the harsh weather, even as dense fog continues to hamper movement across the district.