Bihar floods: Prime Minister Narendra Modi reviews situation

By Team MyNationFirst Published Jul 30, 2019, 1:10 PM IST
Highlights

Bihar floods have claimed the lives of as many as 127 people and affected over 85 lakh citizens of the state. PM Modi met Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar and deputy CM Sushil Modi to review the situation.

Patna: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday reviewed the flood situation in Bihar which has left scores dead in the past few days. He spoke with chief minister Nitish Kumar and his deputy Sushil Modi.

"The Centre has been working with the state government to help those affected and we will continue providing all possible assistance needed," he tweeted.

There is no let-up in the flood situation in Bihar where the deluge has affected over 85 lakh people even though the number of deaths remained at 127 for the third consecutive day on Monday.

Also read: Bihar floods: Death toll stands at 127; light to heavy rainfall likely

Darbhanga, one of the severely affected districts, has so far reported 12 casualties since Bihar was hit by flash floods earlier this month owing to torrential rainfall in Terai region of Nepal.

"Spoke to Bihar CM @NitishKumar Ji and Deputy CM @SushilModi Ji and reviewed the situation arising due to floods in various parts of Bihar," the Prime Minister wrote on Twitter.

Train services between Samastipur and Darbhanga have been temporarily suspended because of rising water levels on the railway tracks.

The East-Central Railways chief public relations officer (CPRO) Rajesh Kumar said in a statement that on a bridge, the water level was high and that the trains have been suspended in this section for safety purposes.

Also read: United Nations: 600 people killed in floods in Bangladesh, India, Nepal and Myanmar

Nine passenger trains and two intercity express trains have been cancelled.

Altogether 13 districts have been hit by the calamity, Sitamarhi with 37 casualties, topped the list followed by Madhubani (30), Araria (12), Darbhanga (12), Sheohar (10) Purnea (nine), Kishanganj (seven), Muzaffarpur (four), East Supaul (three), Champaran (two) and Saharsa (one).

Two of the flood-hit districts - Katihar and West Champaran - have reported no deaths till date, the department said.

The disaster management department has put the total number of people hit by a flood in the state at 88.46 lakh in 1,269 panchayats of 111 blocks of the 13 districts.

Also read: Bihar youth dies in floodwaters while trying to film TikTok video

Food is being prepared for the affected population at 507 community kitchens and distributed by 876 personnel equipped with 133 boats, who are assisted by 19 teams of NDRF personnel dispatched from the headquarters of its 9th battalion.

With people returning to their homes after water receding in several areas, the number of relief camps has been reduced.

Meanwhile, NDRF 9th battalion personnel successfully evacuated a three-year-old child, a snake bite victim from flood-affected Janerwa village under Banjariya block of East Champaran district on the intervening night of July 28-29, 9th battalion Commandant Vijay Sinha said in a release.

The snakebite victim was rushed to Motihari Sadar hospital after carrying out a night operation, Sinha said, adding that the child is stable.

Also read: Lightning kills 51 in Bihar, Jharkhand

According to a water resources department daily bulletin, five rivers- Bagmati, Burhi Gandak, Kamla Balan, Adhwara and Khiroi- are flowing above their danger level at nine places in Bihar.

Baghmati river alone is flowing above danger mark at three places like Kataunjha (Sitamarhi), Benibad (Muzaffarpur), Hayaghat (Darbhanga), it said, adding that Burhi Gandak flowing above at 'Samastipur rail pul' and 'Rosera rail Pul' in Samastipur while Khiroi flowing above danger mark at Kamtaul and Ekmighat in Darbhanga district.

As per India Meteorological Department's forecast, light to normal rainfall is expected in the catchment areas of all the rivers of Bihar in the next 24 hours.

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