Over one million people affected in Bihar floods, 7 killed

Patna (Bihar) Over one million people were affected and over 15,000 others have been staying in shelter homes due to floods in Bihar, the state disaster management department said on Saturday.

Seven people have lost their lives in the deluge.

According to the department, 22 teams of National Disaster Response Force (NDRF)/State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) have been deployed in the state.

“10,61,152 people have been affected due to floods in Bihar and 15,956 people are staying in shelter homes. 22 teams of NDRF/SDRF have been deployed in the state,” the government stated in the daily flood bulletin.

In Darbhanga, police officials have shifted in their vehicle to carry out day-to-day work as floodwater inundated the city’s Laheria Sarai Sahayak police station due to torrential rains.

Earlier, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar held a state cabinet meeting through video conference to review the flood situation.

Kumar directed officials to distribute masks to those rescued, for free of cost, and provide them with all the facilities as per the COVID-19 guidelines. He also directed them to provide Rs 6,000 each as gratuitous relief to the affected person.

The Chief Minister asked officials to make arrangements for these affected families to stay in shelter homes.

Meanwhile, the NDRF rescued a trapped country-made boat loaded with 40 people in East Champaran.

Rescuers of 9 Battalion NDRF under supervision of Arvind Mishra, Assistant Commandant along with Sub-Divisional Officer (SDO) Areraj noticed that the boat was stuck on the swollen Gandak river while carrying out evacuation operation at flood-affected Bhawanipur village in the district.

Commandant Vijay Sinha of 9 Battalion said that as per a report, the boat’s engine failed and the occupants somehow managed to keep the boat stable with the help of a tree for more than two hours. (ANI)