Flood situation remains grim in Bihar, over 45 lakh people affected

22:47 July 31

Flood situation remains grim in Bihar, more than 45 lakh people affected

Flood situation remains grim in Bihar, more than 45 lakh people affected

Patna: Flood situation remained grim in Bihar where swollen rivers originating in Nepal and flowing through the states northern districts have affected more than 45 lakh people so far, the disaster management department said on Friday. 

No loss of life was reported on account of floods in the last 24 hours, causing the death toll to remain stable at 11, though the number of people troubled by the calamity grew by more than half a million during the period, according to the bulletin issued by the department. The number of distressed people, across 1012 panchayats of 14 districts, has reached 45.39 lakh, compared with the previous days figure of 39.63 lakh, said the department. The state's response to floods has triggered wordy duel between rival parties, keeping in view the approaching assembly election. 

Leader of the opposition Tejashwi Yadav, who toured flood-hit parts of East Champaran, expressed bewilderment over "only 19 relief camps" having been set up by the Nitish Kumar government so far. "The states water resources minister is busy gathering resources for the ruling JD(U) ahead of assembly polls. Nobody has seen the states minister for disaster management in the past four months when the state has been hit by crisis after crisis. 

"And the Chief Minister has not stepped out of his residence for 135 days. The people are left to despair", Yadav tweeted. 

He was lambasted by the ruling JD(U)-BJP combine which charged the RJD leader with trying to gain publicity by his tours instead of extending cooperation to the state government in its flood control measures. According to the disaster management department, 3.76 lakh people have so far been evacuated from flood-ravaged localities out of whom 26,732 have taken shelter at the relief camps. Besides, 1193 community kitchens are catering to 7.71 lakh people in the inundated areas. Relief and rescue operations were being carried out by National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and State Disaster Response Force (SDRF). 

"Our 21 teams are deployed across 12 of the flood- affected districts. Our personnel have so far rescued more than 8600 people", said Vijay Sinha, commandant of 9th battalion of NDRF, stationed at Bihta in Patna district. 

"Saving lives and beyond is our motto and we pay special attention to vulnerable populace like children, the elderly and pregnant women," he added. Sinha highlighted the case of a young woman from Darbhanga, who went into labour late Thursday night and could get timely medical care because of timely response to her familys distress call. 

Our men picked her up from her marooned village and carried her to the nearest primary health center, which was 10 kms away, the NDRF commandant said. The districts hit by the floods are West Champaran, East Champaran, Saran, Gopalganj, Siwan, Darbhanga, Muzaffarpur, Sitamarhi, Madhubani, Khagaria, Samastipur, Kishanganj, Supaul and Sheohar. 

Only West Champaran (four) and Darbhanga (seven) have reported flood-related deaths. East Central Railway zone Chief Public Relation Officer, Rajesh Kumar, said that with floodwaters flowing above danger level near three Railway bridges in the Samastipur-Darbhanga section, routes of some special trains have been diverted, while services of some others stopped for the time being. 

21:05 July 31

Boat capsizes in flood-hit Gopalganj, 6 children drown

Gopalganj:As many as six children drowned when a boat ferrying them carrying them capsized in the swollen river near Parsoni village of Bihar's Gopalganj on Friday afternoon.

The deceased minors have been identified as Harendra, Neha, Shadika, Rekha, Prince, Ajeet of the same village.

The incident is believed to have occurred when the residents of the village, cut off by rising floodwaters, attempted to head for safety on their own, sources said.

On being informed about the incident, fire service personnel reached the spot and recovered the dead bodies.  

Police have registered a case of unnatural death and sent the bodies to a nearby hospital for postmortem, sources said.

"The boat, which belonged to the Parsoni village, was not part of official relief operations being conducted by the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and  It was not a part of the rescue detail. We have registered a case and further investigation is underway," police personnel said.

18:08 July 31

Flood situation worsens in Bihar's Gopalganj, thousands affected

Gopalganj: The flood situation in Bihar continues to worsen with more 40 lakh people have been affected by the deluge.  

Meanwhile, floodwaters from the Gandak, which had breached its embankment at three places in East Champaran and Gopalganj have entered fresh areas.

Thousands of people have taken shelter on embankments and national highways. Many have pitched tarpaulin tents, under which they live with their family and their cattle.

Around the district, however, there were widespread complaints by residents that they had been largely left to fend for themselves. While some had commandeered mid-day meal stocks in nearby schools, others went without food for days. 

"Gopalganj is facing unprecedented floods, as pucca houses in Bhawanipur have got submerged with water for the first time in the past many decades. We’ve got nothing other than a packet of flattened rice and jaggery from the government," a local said to ETV Bharat reporter.

"We are not getting food to eat. In this gloomy situation, no government officials are coming to the village. My daughter's health condition is not well and we are taking her to the hospital on a cot. Government facilities are not reaching to us. We have requested several times to our Sarpanch but in vain," a local said.

As water rushed into houses and farms across villages in this district, people fled for their lives, most unable to carry anything with them.

Apart from Gopalganj East Champaran and Muzaffarpur districts have also been badly affected where 7 lakh and 3.2 lakh people, respectively have been affected by floods, sources said.

The flood-affected districts include Sitamarhi, Sheohar, Supaul, Kishanganj, Darbhanga, Muzaffarpur, West Champaran, East Champaran, Khagaria, Saran and Samastipur, sources added.

12:20 July 31

Burhi Gandak in spate

Burhi Gandak in spate, low-lying areas flooded in Muzaffarpur's Sakra  

Muzaffarpur:The Burhi Gandak river is in spate at Sakra in Muzaffarpur district of Bihar, flooding low-lying areas on its banks, according to the Central Water Commission (CWC).

Owing to the breakdown of the ring dam of Budhi Gandak river, people in urban areas of the district have either started borrowing boats or making their own boats to go to a higher place.

"We are going to higher places where there is no water. Our houses have been submerged in the floodwaters. We were staying on roofs and there are no arrangements for us. We have rented boats to get out of here," said Vakeel Kumar, a flood victim.

"We are facing a lot of difficulties here. No one has come so far to review the situation. There are no proper boats and so we are making our own boats using bamboo. All our material possessions are stuck inside the houses. There is no arrangement for food or water," said Lakhinder, another victim.

As many as 38,47,531 people have been affected due to floods in Bihar and 25,116 people have been shifted to shelter homes, said the Bihar government.

As many as 26 teams of National Disaster Response Force/State Disaster Response Force have been deployed in affected areas, according to the State Government.

In Muzaffarpur district, 8,77,138 people have been affected due to floods while in Supaul 81,198 people have been affected so far.

The misery of people in Bihar has grown after the waters of Gandaki and Bagmati rivers entered parts of Muzaffarpur district following incessant rainfall in the region.

07:47 July 31

Darbhanga worst-hit, nearly 25,000 people affected

Darbhanga is the worst-hit district of Bihar and the situation continued to remain grim affecting nearly 25,000 people in 16 wards. Floodwaters have entered houses and has left behind a huge trail of destruction. MLA Sanjay Sarawagi visited the flood-ravaged area and has instructed the concerned officials to provide relief materials to the people.  

"Floods have hit Bihar when the state is already reeling under the corona scare. Bagmati river is overflowing and people are facing huge difficulties. District and govt officials are making sure that people get all the possible help. Community kitchens have been set up and polythene sheets have also been provided to people," Sarawagi added. 

07:23 July 31

Restrictions imposed on vehicular movement in Samastipur

The water level of Bagmati river has risen and fresh floods have hit Samastipur causing major disruption in transportation. District officials have issued alert for the people residing in the area and all the necessary relief operations are being undertaken. However, people are on two-wheelers are travelling but restrictions have been imposed on the movement of heavy vehicular traffic. Barricades have been set up.

07:11 July 31

Chakia village flooded after canal breach

Chakia village was flooded after a canal was breached on the wee hours of Friday. Village houses and farms were flooded with waters affecting nearly 500 villagers. However, no deaths have been reported. The district administration and employees of the irrigation department visited the spot and made attempts to plug the breach with sandbags. The water level in the Gandak river has been continuously rising putting the entire area on a high alert. 

06:57 July 31

Electricity disrupted in Lagunia village

With the breach of Saran embankment in Gopalganj, the water level is following a rising trend and has caused major destruction to crops and livestock. The floods have caused huge devastation, damaging several houses and roads. Lagunia village has plunged into darkness with disruption of electricity in most of the areas and rescue boats have been pressed into service. People from adjoining areas are extending help to the marooned people in the flood-affected area. Dr. Anil Kumar from Muzaffarpur and village sarpanch Anil Sahini are feeding people and have set up medical camps to provide help.  

06:40 July 31

Floods hit West Champaran

Continuous discharge of water from Valmikinagar barrage on Gandak river in West Champaran has led to severe erosion, triggering panic in the area. Most of the panchayats and blocks of Piprasi, Madhubani are devastated prompting district authorities to swing into action. Rescue and relief operations are underway. Circle Officer Shivendra Kumar and Block Development Officer are monitoring the situation. 

06:11 July 31

The flood situation in Bihar continued to remain grim and almost more than 38 lakh people are affected. No fresh deaths have been reported and district administration is maintaining a vigil.

Patna: More parts of Bihar were on Thursday affected by floods, caused by rise in water levels of rivers originating in Nepal, though the disaster management department asserted that this has resulted in no fresh loss of lives. 

According to the department's bulletin, 71 panchayats of Madhubani and Siwan districts, which were not affected by the floods till the previous day, have now been hit by the calamity. The number of affected districts so far reached 14. 

The number of people affected by deluge has risen to 39.63 lakh, up from 38.47 lakh on Wednesday. The death toll, however, remained stable at 11, with Darbhanga accounting for seven casualties and the remaining four reported from West Champaran. 

Other districts declared as flood-hit are East Champaran, Sheohar, Supaul, Kishanganj, Sitamarhi, Gopalganj, Saran, Muzaffarpur, Gopalganj and Khagaria. At a meeting chaired on the previous night to review the flood situation, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar instructed officials to pull up their socks reminding them "it is in the months of August and September that we see the worst of the calamity". 

"We must have arrangements in place for evacuating people from vulnerable areas. We are this time faced with a twin challenge in the backdrop of raging corona pandemic. 

READ:ETV Bharat reporter carries child to safety through floodwaters in Bihar

"It must be ensured that those being kept at relief camps are tested for COVID-19 on a priority basis and social distancing is maintained as far as possible", he said. 

Till date, 3.16 lakh people have been evacuated and moved to safe places by the personnel involved in relief and rescue work, including 21 teams of the NDRF. More than 25,000 people have taken shelter in 19 relief camps and close to six lakh people were being fed at more than 1,000 community kitchens. 

An embankment along the Budhi Gandak river at Bairiya in East Champaran district was vandalized by unidentified villagers. 

"An FIR has been lodged in connection with the damage caused to the embankment which has, however, resulted in no loss to life and property. Our department is doing the needful", water resources minister Sanjay Kumar Jha tweeted. 

The 9th battalion of National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), stationed at Bihta near Patna, has rescued thousands of people ever since floods began wreaking havoc a couple of weeks ago. 

"Our personnel have rescued close to 8,000 people, which include children, the elderly and pregnant women. Our men have fanned out in 13 of the affected districts," the commandant of the battalion Vijay Sinha said. 

READ: Bihar Floods: Electricity disruptions hit Darbhanga

One of NDRF teams was Thursday diverted from West Champaran to Siwan upon the disaster management departments request, he added. 

He also informed that NDRF men saved the life of a four-year-old boy in East Champaran district, who suffered a snake bite at his marooned village. 

"Our men reached the village late in the night. The boy, Adnan, was carried in a boat to the nearest primary health center, wading through flood waters for a six kilometres long stretch. Thankfully, timely medical aid took him out of harms way", Sinha added. 

With PTI inputs