RAIN BRINGS SHIVER Kathmandu, 18 Jan.: Normal life in Rukum district has been affected due to sudden fall on mercury following the rainfall accompanied by hailstones on Friday early morning, RSreports from Rukum. The mercury went down suddenly after the highlands in the district were also covered with snow. Fewer people have been seen going outside their homes due to excessive cold in the district. Activities in the district headquarters Khalanga suddenly decreased due to cold and incessant rainfall for the last 12 hours. Similarly, various highlands in Myagdi, Baglung, and Mustang districts were covered with thick snow following the rainfall since last night. Highlands in all 16 VDCs of Mustang district were thickly covered with snow and that normal life in the district was affected due to cold, said Bharat Thapa, Assistant Sub-Inspector at the District Police Office, Mustang. It snowed in some places in Mustang since Thursday evening. Thapa said "It is reported that snow covered around two feet thick in Lomanthang, Chesera, Chhonhup, Charang Surkhang, Ghami including other places." The lower parts of Mustang received heavy rainfall while the highlands were thickly covered with the snow. Ghorepani, Gurja, and some other VDCs of Myagdi district also received snowfall. Similarly, normal life in Khungkhani, Taman, Bobang, Nisi, Adhikarichaur, Bohoragaun, Devisthan, and Ranasingh Kiteni, including other places, was affected due to snowfall and incessant rainfall in the western belt of Baglung.Meanwhile, farmers have been happy with the precipitation after a long time. The local farmers were worried for their winter crops were drying for lack of winter rainfall. Most of the places here are cultivated depending on rainfall. The rainfall is expected to be fruitful for the winter crops, said Bhim Bahadur Khatri, the Agriculture Resource Person of Pipal VDC of Rukum. Nnnn LIGHTNING KILLS WOMAN Kathmandu, 18 Jan.: A woman died after a lightning struck her in Tikapur of Kailali district on early Friday, RSS reports from Dhandagi morning. The deceased has been identified as Bhrikuli BK (35) of Ektapur camp in Tikapur Municipality-9, according to the District Police office, Kailali. The lightning with rainfall struck her at 2:00 am. Her four-year-old son, Deepak BK, was also injured by the lightning and is undergoing treatment at Tikapur Hospital. The lightning also destroyed the house. Rainfall has been occurring in the area from Thursday night. The Attariya Field Office of the Department of Hydrology and Meteorology recorded 20.3 ml rainfall till 8:30 am this morning from last night. nnnn