Bihar flood situation grim, 15 dead so far

Patna, July 30 (UNI) The flood situation in Bihar worsened with the rising waters claiming 15 lives since the past week and the entire Darbhanga district cut off.

About 13 people died since the past one week in Muzaffarpur district where the situation further deteriorated following breach in the embankment of Tirhut canal.

District Magistrate Prahlad Thakur said today that 84 villages of three blocks were inundated following breach in the embankment at 19th number gate near Gharhauna village under Kurhni block.

He said about one feet high water was flowing on the runway of Patahai based airport, mostly used for official flights.

Special arrangements had been made in the affected areas where boats had been pressed into service and relief materials were being distributed, he said.

Meanwhile, flood water continued to play havoc in Darbhanga district where about 14 lakh people were marooned.

The flood water also swept away two people in the district during the past one week.

Some 50 girls of the State Backward class girls residential high school remained trapped in their establishment as four feet deep water swirled around it.

Four feet high water was also flowing in the Darbhanga Medical College Hospital where teaching had been suspended and examinations postponed till August 15. The hospital was, however, functioning.

District Magistrate Upender Sharma also ordered closure of all schools till August 10 while colleges at Darbhanga and Madhubani had been closed till August 4. All examinations were postponed by the order of the LNMU Vice-Chancellor.

The DM said about 14 lakh people were marooned in five hundred villages of 16 blocks. 0.5633 lakh hectare crop land, with estimated value of Rs 929758 lakh, and 11508 houses, with estimated value of Rs 512.40 lakh, had been destroyed. The worst hit blocks include Keoti, Bahadurpur, Singhwara Kusheshwar Asthan, Taradeeh, Manigachhi and Hayaghat.

Transmission in the Darbhanga Aakashvani had been temporarily disrupted for the last two days as the premises was flooded.

UNI