Flood situation improves, air dropping of food packets stopped

Patna, Aug 23 (UNI) Air dropping of food packets has been stopped following the overall improvement of the flood situation in Bihar even as most of the rivers were still flowing above danger mark.

Principal Secretary of Disaster Management department Manoj Kumar Srivastav said here today that the air dropping of food packets had been stopped since afternoon yesterday.

He said the assistance of Air Force was sought and four helicopters were engaged in airdropping the relief materials in the difficult areas, where communication was totally snapped due to flood.

Mr Srivastav said the airdropping, which was taken up on August 4 by the Air Force, continued for 18 days during which 70,796 food packets were distributed.

An official communique here said more than 1.80 crore people had been affected by the current wave of flood in 216 blocks of 19 districts and standing crops worth Rs 548 crore damaged in the state.

A total of 6,541 boats had been pressed into service to carry out rescue and relief operation, while 1,268 relief centres and 519 medical camps were opened in the flood-ravaged areas of the state,'' the sources said.

A report from Darbhanga said the flood water in Singhwara, Keoti, Tardih and Kusheshwarsthan blocks was receding as the Kamal Balan river was maintaining receding trend. However, it was still flowing above the red mark.

Train movement was restored between Darbhanga and Sitamarhi following recession of flood water.

Train services, however, will continue to remain suspended on the route during night.

The flood situation in Kalyanpur, Hassanpur and Rosera blocks of the district improved as the Burhi Gandak, Kareh, Kosi and Baghmati rivers were on receding trend. The flood water of the Gandak river had entered in township area of Samastipur district due to leakage in sluice gate.

A report from Kahalgaon said the flood situation in three blocks, including Narainpur and Kharik, were under the flood fury following breaches in embankments of the Ganga and Kosi rivers in Bhagalpur.

A report from Bagaha said the flood situation in more than 300 villages of Madhubani, Thakraha, Bhitaha and Piprasi blocks improved as the water was receding gradually bringing respite to the marooned people in the area.

Altogether 331 people had fallen prey to the recent flood fury across the state so far.

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

According to the Central Water Commission, all major rivers of the state were flowing above the red mark.

UNI