Flood situation continues to be grim in Bihar

Patna, Aug 18 (UNI) The overall flood situation in Bihar continued to be grim as most of the rivers were still above the red mark, while the Valimiki Nagar barrage released three lakh cusec water in the Gandak, inundating more villages in north Bihar.

According to report here, the Valmiki Nagar barrage released three lakh cusec water in the Gandak during the past 24 hours following which fresh areas of West Champaran district were inundated.

A report from Bagaha quoting official sources said the flood water was flowing over National Highway 28 B following which the communication between Bettiah and Bagaha in West Champaran district was snapped.

The situation in Madhubani and Piprasi blocks continued to remain grim as more than 300 villages in these blocks were facing flood fury.

An official report from Darbhanga quoting District Magistrate Upendra Sharma said the district was again deluged due to heavy downpour for the last few days.

The district administration had ordered closure of all schools till further orders, while Darbhanga Medical college has been closed till August 30 in the wake of the deteriorating flood situation.

Among the blocks in the Darbhanga district, where the flood situation continued to be bleak were Singhwara, Keoti, Tardih and Kusheshwarsthan.

The road link of Kamtaul with the district headquarters was snapped after the flood water submerged the main road. The overtopping of the Kamla rivers on its western embankment had inundated Deona, Jaidevpatti, Naruar, while the Adhwara group of rivers has flooded Kothia, Asraha, Jalwara, and Keoti blocks of the district affecting more than two lakh people in 30 villages.

A report from Samastipur informed that the flood situation was no better and the water level of the Noon and Baya were increasing rapidly making the situation worse in the villages of the Patauri block.

Sarairanjan, Morwa, and Tajpur were among the blocks worst hit by the flood due to surging Noon and Baya rivers.

Singhia, Bithan, Hassanpur, Warisnagar and Kalyanpur blocks in the district were also deluged.

Meanwhile, reports reaching here from East Champaran district said seven people were feared drowned in two separate boat mishaps at Sugauli and Chiraiya today.

More than 300 people had so far lost their lives in the flood fury while more than 1.5 crore people living in 19 districts were affected by the calamity.

Muzaffarpur, Sitamarhi, Madhubani, Khagaria, Bhagalpur were among the worst-affected districts.

According to Central Water commission, all major rivers of the state were flowing above the danger level and the torrents in the catchment areas during the past 24 hours had further aggravated the flood situation.

Local weatherman predicted moderate to heavy rains in the catchment areas and in the plains during the next 24 hours.

UNI