Nepal Vice President accuses India for grim flood situation

Kathmandu, August 29 : Nepal Vice President Parmananda Jha on Friday held Indian Government responsible for the breaches in the embankments of the Kosi river while visiting the flood-ravaged areas of Nepal recently.

The flooding caused by torrential rains, which officials say is the worst in five decades, was caused after the Kosi river breached a dam in Nepal where it originates, unleashing huge waves of water that smashed mud embankments downstream reaching as far as Bihar in India.

The flooded Kosi River flowing above the danger level in Nepal has damaged the Sirha dam at three places, posing a major threat to the dam and the nearby Kosi barrage.

Jha visited the Koshi barrage and camps at Bhardaha, Prartaha and other flood-hit areas and enquired about the victims' condition.

He said the catastrophe took place in the country owing to indifference of the Indian government despite the attention drawn by the Nepalese government towards the situation from time to time in the past.

"This is a very sorrowful incident. At present we believe that India is responsible for the current situation. India might say that Nepal is responsible for it but this would be assessed later. India was responsible for maintenance of the dam. After seeing the breach of the dam you yourself can figure out that who's responsible for it," said Jha.

Relief and rescue operations continue slowly in Nepal- with the swirling floodwaters making it difficult for rescue teams to airlift flood victims.

"Our house and four animals were drowned in water. We could not take anything from our house we lost everything. Somehow we managed to save our lives," said Janki Devi, a flood victim.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh has declared floods in Bihar a national calamity and offered assistance worth billions of rupees to the flood affected regions of the State.

More than two million people have been forced from their homes in Bihar in what officials say are the worst floods in half a century to hit the region.

ANI