Patna (Bihar): The rampant spread of the coronavirus infection may be new for Bihar, but floods have been wreaking havoc in the state year after year. Currently, as many as 12 districts of the state are reeeling under severe floods and over 30 lakh people have been affected.
ETV Bharat has been sonstantly reporting from all flood-affected districts -- West Champaran, Gopalganj, East Champaran, Khagaria, Supaul, Kishanganj, Darbhanga, Muzaffarpur, Saran and Samastipur. According to the Disaster Management Department, 837 panchayats of 101 blocks of these districts are flooded, and 29,62,653 people have been badly affected in these panchayats.
Grim situation in Gopalganj
The situation continues to be grave in Gopalganj, where many river embankments have been broken. Horrific pictures of the floods have come out from Vishunpura village of Buchia Panchayat in Sidhwalia block. "No administrative officer has come yet. There is waterlogging here for many days. Thank you for coming here and talking to us," said Geeta Devi, a resident of the village with teary eyes.
Manjha, Barauli, Vaikunthpur, and Sidhawalia Kuchayakot blocks in the district have been badly hit due to the collapse of the Saran main dam.
107 villages of Saran affected
A total of 107 villages of 30 panchayats -- Panapur, Taraiya, Parsa, Maker and Mathura -- of 5 blocks of Saran district have been affected by the floods. In the affected villages, 73 villages are surrounded by water from all sides. Relief and rescue work is being carried out on war footing. A total of 11 motor boats have been installed. Community kitchens have been made available at 54 places, where food is being provided to 30,900 people.
Read: LIVE: Death toll in Bihar floods rises to 11, nearly 40 lakh affected
Raging 'Old' Gandak in Muzaffarpur
Many panchayats of Muzaffarpur have got flooded due to the raging Burhi (old) Gandak river. The ring embankment has been broken at Bagahi in Bandra block. The ring dam of Old Gandak collapsed around 50 feet late at night in Bagahi of Badgaon Panchayat. About 200 families have been trapped in the water due to the dam collapse. Scores of people and many cattle are stranded on both sides of the dam.
Flood water entering Katihar
The water level of Kosi and Berundi rivers of Katihar is also constantly increasing. Due to this, river water has started entering many areas of Falaka block area. Thousands of people of Hathwara Panchayat are getting affected by this. They are slowly moving towards safer places. The Hathvada Panchayat of Falaka block has been completely submerged.
Kamala Balan in spate at Madhubani
Kamla, Kosi, Bhuthi, Dhaus, and Gagan rivers are raging in Madhubani. The Kamla river is flowing 56 centimetres above the danger mark in Jaynagar and 185 centimetres meters above the danger mark in Jhanjharpur. The water of Kamala Balan river has already entered many villages and the people's homes are inundated.
Read: WATCH: Close shave for two men as raging waters swallow land in Bihar
661 villages of Darbhanga hit by flood
According to Darbhanga DM Dr. Tyagarajan, a total of 162 panchayats of 14 blocks of the district are affected by the floods. Of which 108 panchayats are fully affected and 54 panchayats are partially affected. In which 12 lakh 68 thousand 120 families of 661 villages have been affected deeply. The food arrangements have been made for affected people by through the running of community kitchens at all affected places.
67 villages of Khagaria completely submerged
Khagaria, surrounded by rivers, is also facing floods this year. The Kosi and Bagmati rivers are flowing in spate. The water level of both rivers is above the danger mark. So far, 21 panchayats of seven blocks in the district have been flooded. 67 villages of flood-affected 21 panchayats have been completely submerged. The village of Hiadpur in the Mansi block of Khagaria is completely submerged by the waters of Kosi and Bagmati rivers.
Read: Flood-affected couple mowed down by pick-up van in Bihar; 2 arrested
Many panchayats of Samastipur flood-affected
Flood water has entered nearly dozens of villages in Samastipur. Due to this, people are forced to leave their homes and take shelter on the embankment. More than 200 families here have taken shelter on the embankment of Jatmalpur Bagmati river.
21 teams of NDRF engaged in 12 districts
Meanwhile, 21 teams of NDRF are engaged to help the people. So far, NDRF teams have run rescue operations in Gopalganj, Saran, Muzaffarpur, East Champaran, West Champaran, Darbhanga and Supaul districts and have evacuated about 7 thousand people and hundreds of cattle trapped in the floods to safe places.
