UK provides 150,000 pounds for Bihar flood victims

New Delhi, Aug 29 (UNI) Britain today announced a 150,000 Pounds Sterling (Rs 1.27 crore) package for relief of floods victims in Bihar.

The United States had yesterday announced a 100,000 Dollar (Rs 40 lakh) contribution to the Prime Minister's National Relief Fund to assist the victims of the recent floods in the state.

The UK Department for International Development (DFID) asked UNICEF to redirect 150,000 Pounds Sterling of an existing Trust Fund for immediate assistance to those rendered homeless by the severe floods in Bihar.

The funding will be used to supply up to 20 camps, which currently house 10,000 displaced families, with clean water, shelter and sanitation.

''The situation in Bihar is particularly serious and the UK has responded quickly to provide help to those affected. We are in contact with the Government of Bihar and are on standby to step up assistance if needed. We will continue to monitor the situation closely,'' the British High Commission here quoted the UK International Development Minister as saying.

The situation in Bihar is particularly serious following a two km breach in the eastern embankment of Kosi River in Kusha (Indo-Nepal border), which occurred on August 18.

More than 2.6 million people in 13 districts of Bihar have been affected.

Bihar accounts for 16.5 per cent of the flood prone area and 22.1 per cent of the flood-affected population of India. About 73 per cent of Bihar is flood prone, but only 43 per cent is protected by structural interventions.

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