Flood toll rise to 150, one die in police lathicharge

Patna, Aug 12 (UNI) Altogether 150 people have so far died in floods in Bihar, while another person was killed in police lathicharge today, when agitating villagers demanded relief material in the Saharsa district.

An official report from Darbhanga said 11 people drowned in flood water in the district during the past 24 hours.

A report from Begusarai said three people, a child and two women, were swept away in the Ganges this after noon.

Police Superintendent of Saharsa, Kunwar Singh said the police resorted to lathicharge when the villagers gathered in the block headquarter and started agitating and demanded for immediate distribution of relief material in the flood hit area.

Local MLA Kishore Kumar Munna said an exgratia of Rs one lakh has already been released to the kin of the deceased.

A Central Water Commission (CWC) release said majority of the rivers including Bagmati, Gandak, Budhi Gandak, Kosi, Ganga, Ghaghra and Adhwara group of rivers were flowing above the danger level at several places.

Meanwhile, reports from different districts revealed that over 5,000 villages remained inundated and about 1.5 crore people were affected.

A report from Samastipur said that the water of river Noon entered Morba and Sarairanjan blocks, damaging standing crops in vast area. More that 12 villages were still inundated while communication in the district has been snapped as the flood water was overflowing onto Tajpur-Halsi main road.

Flood water have reportedly entered five villages of Narayanpur panchayat of Bhagalpur district this morning, following breach in Satishnagar embankment in Kahalgaon. The flood water was also flowing on National Highway 31.

An official report from Darbhanga, however, maintained that the flood situation was improving fast and communication on some of the road and rail routes have resumed. Relief, rehabilitation and repair of the damaged infrastructure had been taken up on war footing. Air force choppers were being pressed into service used for the purpose.

UNI