Govt. orders to rescue marooned people

Patna, Aug 24 (UNI) The Bihar government today directed the district magistrates of Supaul, Arariya and Madhepura to rescue the marooned people and shift them to safer places.

The Deputy commissioner of the state disaster management department Pratyaya Amrit told newspersons here that nearly 10.5 lakh people of the three districts were trapped in the flood as water of Kosi river inundated 48 villages following breach in the embankment.

The rescue operation had been launched on war footing and the affected people were being shifted to the relief camps, he said.

In all 13 relief camps were functional in Supaul, 33 in Madhepura and 11 in Arariya and three IAF choppers were airdropping relief materials, he said adding about 10 lakh 990 food packets had so far been airdropped in the flood ravaged areas.

According to him 150 country made and 23 motor boats were pressed into service while SAP personnel had been deployed to cooperate in relief and rescue operations.

UNI RS RH RL KP2037