Death toll in Bihar floods climbs to 60

Patna, August 3: Twenty two more deaths were reported today in the floods in Bihar, which have affected 29 lakh people across 12 districts, taking the toll to 60.

The disaster management department said 22 fresh deaths have taken place in different flood-hit districts taking the toll to 60.

The deaths were reported from Purnea (24), Katihar (15), Supual (8), Kisanganj (5), Madhepura (4), Gopalganj (2), Saharsa and Araria 1 each.

Fed by heavy rains in the Terai region of Nepal, Ganga river at Kahalgaon in Bhagalpur district remained above the danger mark.

Other rivers, Ghaghra-Darauli and Gangpur-Siswan, were flowing above danger level in Siwan district, while the Adhwara group of rivers was above danger level in Darbhanga, Bagmati-Benibad in Muzaffarpur district and Mahananda in Purnea.

The 12 flood affected districts of the state are Purnea, Kisanganj, Araria, Darbhanga, Madhepura, Bhagalpur, Katihar, Saharsa, Supual, Gopalganj, Muzaffarpur and East Champaran. In which, 68 blocks and 580 panchayats are affected by floods.

Farm produce on 1.20 lakh hectares of land has been damaged so far as per the survey, the release said.

A total of 460 relief camps are functioning in the flood-hit areas, giving shelter to 3,77,097 people even as 175 medical teams are providing their services.

Arrangements have been made for food and other items with 6,338 quintal of flattened rice, 1,163.40 quintal jaggery, 9.43 lakh matchsticks, 3,540 candles, besides 91,80,21 litres of kerosene oil and adequate supply of polythene sheets and food packets among others, it said.

The National Disaster Response Force and State Disaster Response Force personnel have been deployed in the flood-affected areas, the release added.

PTI