Kathmandu, Jan. 25 -- Snowfall across the high altitude districts of Karnali and Sudurpaschim provinces has disrupted daily life, grounding flights and blocking roads, while bringing much-awaited relief to farmers hit by a prolonged drought.

The snowfall, which began late Friday night and continued on Saturday, affected all high mountain districts of Karnali. According to the Civil Aviation Office, all flights from Surkhet and Nepalgunj to mountain airports were cancelled on Saturday. Nearly one foot of snow accumulated at Simikot Airport in Humla, forcing a complete halt to air services.

Road connectivity has also been severely affected. Transport services were suspended on nearly a dozen road sections, including the Mid-Hill Highway, ...