Bihar flood toll rises to 205

Patna, Sep 5: With six more deaths, the toll in Bihar floods today went up to 205, even as the water level of the swollen Ganga continued to recede at many places except at Kahalgaon in Bhagalpur district where the river is flowing above the danger mark.

The six fresh deaths were reported from two districts of Bhagalpur and Khagaria, which reported three deaths each, a Disaster Management Department statement said.

The flood has affected 40 lakh people at 2,189 villages in 12 districts, it said.

Seven lakh people have been evacuated so far from the 12 flood-affected districts of Buxar, Bhojpur, Patna, Vaishali, Saran, Begusarai, Samastipur, Lakhisarai, Khagaria, Munger, Bhagalpur and Katihar, the statement said.

According to the Water Resources Department, the Ganga is witnessing a receding trend at Digha ghat, Gandhi ghat and Hathidah in Patna while it is receding in the districts of Buxar, Munger and Bhagalpur.

The water level went below the danger level at Gandhi Ghat and Digha Ghat for the fifth consecutive day, it said, adding it was still flowing above the danger mark at Kahalgaon in Bhagalpur district, though the water level was receding here.

The government has deployed 2,973 boats for evacuation while national and state disaster response forces have already been deployed in the affected districts.

In all, 652 relief camps are being run in the flood-hit areas in which 1.98 lakh people have taken shelter. They are being provided medical services by 589 teams.

A total of 210 camps are being operated for cattle affected by flooding of households whereas 85 cattle have died so far in the floods.

PTI