Flood claims 25 lives in north Bihar, inundates new areas

Patna, Aug 24 (UNI) With the death of one more person in Madhepura, the toll in the ongoing floods in north Bihar rose to 25 today.

In addition, standing crops in several thousand acres of land worth more than Rs 100 crore had been damaged, official sources here said.

As flood water of the mighty river Kosi continued to create havoc in three north Bihar districts of Saupoul, Araria and Madhepura, the overall situation in most of the affected districts continued to remain grim.

The sources quoted the Flood Control Division as saying that following the breach in a number of embankments of several major rivers including the Kosi, Mahananda, Gandak and the Ganges in different areas, large human habitation under Kumarkhand, Shankarpur, Murliganj, Udakishanganj, Bihariganj, Chousa, Alamnagar, Uraini and Sinheshwar blocks had been submerged besides rendering more than two million people homeless.

However, all out efforts were being made to provide relief to the flood-affected people as well as to those who had taken shelter in high lands.

Altogether 27 relief camps were opened in the flood-affected areas to provide shelter to the homeless.

Three IAF helicopters also continued airdropping of food packets to the most affected regions.

More than 200 countrymade boats had also been deployed ensure succour to the marooned people, the sources added.

Meanwhile, an 80-member disaster management team from neighbouring Orissa had reached the flood-affected districts to assist in the relief operations.

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