Spike in Snake Bites in Far West Nepal: 56 Cases Reported, 7 Fatalities

Dhangadhi: The Far West region of Nepal has witnessed a surge in snakebite incidents, with 56 people affected in the current financial year, according to data collected by the Sudurpaschim Province Emergency Operations Center (PEOC).

The victims include 39 women and 17 men, with 5 men and 2 women succumbing to the bites. The PEOC's report details 54 cases of snakebites recorded from Shrawan to the second week of Ashar, impacting a total of 81 families.

Among the recent casualties, Ram Pandey of Krishnapur Municipality-7 Shantipur in Kanchanpur died prematurely after being bitten by a snake on Ashar 11. Additionally, a teenage girl, 16-year-old Sunita Giri from OD village of Lekam Rural Municipality-4 in Darchula, lost her life to a snakebite on Jesth 11.

The prevalence of snakes is notably higher in the Terai districts of Kailali and Kanchanpur compared to the hilly districts. In response to the rising threat, Dhangadhi sub-metropolitan city in Kailali has deployed city police to capture snakes that enter residential areas, aiming to prevent potential accidents.

Since the start of the month of Baisakhya, city police have captured over a dozen snakes from houses and sheds. Their efforts have extended beyond Dhangadhi, aiding neighboring towns like Godawari city, where they recently removed a snake from a house and a furniture industry. As the region grapples with this increase in snakebites, local authorities continue to take measures to protect residents and mitigate the risk posed by the growing snake population.