Bardiya, Sept. 30 -- Masta Ram Singh, a farmer in Gulariya Municipality-1, has been unable to sleep or eat properly since heavy rain and strong winds damaged the paddy he planted three months ago on one bigha of land.

Three days of rain from September 25 to 27 submerged the crop just as he was preparing to harvest it. Singh is now worried about how his family will get through the year.

Last year, he harvested 4 tonnes of paddy from the same area, earning a decent income while producing enough rice to feed his family throughout the year. Farming is his only source of income.

"If the government provides relief to farmers, it would help," Singh said. "Otherwise, it will be difficult to make a living this year."

The extensive damage to pa...