Flood-related toll in Bihar rises to 272

Patna, Aug 15 (UNI) The flood situation in north Bihar has further deteriorated due to incessant rains and overflowing rivers even as the toll rose to 272 today.

With reports of two more deaths in Darbhanga today, the toll figure in the current flood fury rose to 272.

Relief and rescue operations were severely affected as surging rivers flooded 19 districts in north Bihar, making it diffcult for rescue workers to reach the 14 million-odd population in 186 blocks of the flood-ravaged parts of the state, sources said.

Preliminary assessment suggested that standing crops in more than 11 lakh hectares of land were damaged, the sources added.

A report from Hajipur said that surging Baya river had inundated several villages in Pateribelsar and Vaishali blocks. Karnaiji, Bhagwatpur, Chakgulamuddin, Bhataiya were among the villages worst-affected by the fresh onslaught of the Baiaya river.

Hajipur sub-divisional officer B K Sinha said a team of engineers and other technical personnel from the Water Resources Department was on a round-the-clock vigil to check breach in river embankments.

Relief and rescue operations had been beefed up following arrival of fresh consignments of relief packets from various non-government organisations and several public undertakings, he said, adding that the inclement weather was however proving to be a spoilsport.

In West Champaran district, Shastrinagar, Dombalia, and Vikas Bharti localities had been inundated by the flood water from river Gandak. The embankment of the Gandak was breached at several places inundating vast areas of Bagha town, the sources added.

A report from Samastipur said the situation in more than 600 affected villages continued to remain grim following torrential rain during the last three days in the area.

Under the spate of heavy downpour during the past three days in Banka district, at least 12 blocks were submerged affecting more than 200,000 people besides damaging property worth crores of rupees.

In a Central Water Commission (CWC) release, it was stated that the rivers Ganges, Burhi Gandak, Bagmati, Kosi and Adhwara group of rivers were all flowing well above the danger mark affecting Sahebganj, Rosera, Hayaghat, Ekmi Ghat, Kamtaul, Baltara, Kursaila.

Flood situation in Darbhanga, Bhagalpur, Khagaria, Sitamarhi, Madhubani, Muzaffarpur and Begusarai continued to remain grim, the sources said.

Meanwhile, weather office have predicted moderate to heavy rainfall in several parts of the state including catchments areas of majority of the rivers in north Bihar.

UNI