Floods render more than a lakh people homeless in Bihar

New Delhi, July 23 (UNI) More than a lakh people were rendered homeless and property and standing crops damaged as flood situation worsened in North Bihar today following incessant rains and subsequent overflow of major rivers.

Official reports received in Patna from affected districts of Darbhanga, Supoul, Madhubani, Bhagalpur, Sitamarhi, Muzaffarpur among others said as a result of incessant rains for about a week now, all the major rivers including the Punpun, Kosi, Kamalabalan, Gandak and the Bagmati were now flowing much above the danger level leading to breach of embankments and causing flash floods at several places.

So far only one death of a person in Bhagalpur district was reported in the fury of floods, though standing crops worth several hundred crores of rupees had been lost and many houses damaged.

As Punpun was flowing at least 220 mm above the red mark at several places, at least 12 villages along the river banks had been vastly inundated rendering more than 25,000 people homeless.

Moreover, following the breach of a number of emabankments along the Kosi, Gandak and the Bagmati in Darbhanga, Supoul and Madhubani districts large chunks of low lying areas had been flooded rendering more than 75,000 people homeless affecting 44 villages. They were shifted to safer places by the local administration through emergency measures.

The local Met office had predicted more rain during the next 48-hours in both South and North Bihar districts which was likely to cause further damage to the present situation both in terms of loss of property and misery to the general public.

Meanwhile light to moderate rains lashed several areas in Northwest India since last night bringing relief to hot and humid weather conditions.

Monsoon rains lashed isolated areas in Punjab and some areas in Haryana including Kalka, Ambala, Panchkula and Hissar.

Many areas in Himachal Pradesh, including Kangra, Kullu, Mandi and Sirmour districts received moderate showers. Solang Nala, recording 17.0 mm rain, was the wettest place in the state till this morning while Kahu registered 15.4 mm rainfall.

Moderate rains lashed Simla and its adjoining areas overnight.

Upper areas of Shimla district, including tourist places of Wildflower Hall, Kufri, Naldehra and Narkanda, also receivede some rainfall.

Chandigarh and its adjoining areas received heavy rainfall last night Monsoon clouds hovered over the Union Territory during the day, bringing more showers in the evening.

The Met office has predicted moderate to rather heavy rain or thundershowers at many places in Himachal Pradesh and light to moderate rain or thundershowers at few places in Haryana and Punjab during the next 24 hours. It warned of heavy to very heavy rains at isolated places in Himachal Pradesh during the period.

After a dry and humid day yesterday, light showers today cooled down the city slightly bringing down the mercury further to 35 degrees Celsius, from 35.5 degrees Celsius yesterday.

The Met office has forecast more rains in Delhi and other plains of Northwest India during the next two to three days.

Kolkata and its adjoining areas also received slight rainfall today but it was not enough to bring relief to the people.

The maximum temperature at 30.3 degrees Celsius the humidity at 96 per cent added to the discomfort of the Kolkatans.

The Met office forecasts a generally cloudy sky with few spells of rain or thunder showers in some areas.

Meanwhile, hot and humid conditions prevailed in Jaipur after some rain last night and this evening.

The city recorded a maximum humidity of 98 while the minimum humidity level stoo at 47 per cent.

The maximum temperature recorded at Jaipur was 35.2 while the minimum temperature was 22.5 degrees celsius.

Ganganagar continues to be the hottest place at 40 degrees celsius followed by Bikaneer at 39. Jaisalmer recorded 38 degrees Celsius, Barmer 37 and Jodhpur and Churu 36, Ajmer and Kota 35, Dabok in Udaipur 33 degrees Celsius.

Rain or thundershowers occurred at most places in Asom, Meghalaya, Sub-Himalayan West Bengal, Sikkim, Gangetic West Bengal, Jharkhand, Bihar, coastal Karnataka and Lakshadweep, and at many places in Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram, Tripura, Uttaranchal, Konkan and Goa.

Rain or thundershowers are likely to occur at most places in coastal Karnataka, Lakshadweep and at many places in Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram, Tripura, West Bengal, Sikkim, Orissa, Jharkhand, Bihar and Andaman and Nicobar.

UNI