A view of the flooded Narkatiya Ganj Station in West Champarn on Sunday. (Source: PTI Photo)
Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Monday took stock of the flood situation in the state and called for the meeting of state officials. Talking to reporters, he said, “Rescue and relief operations have been going on. We had asked for IAF helicopter and food packets are being distributed through that. Tomorrow, we will send chief secy of Disaster Managemnt, Road Construction department, Rural Works Department and all DMs to assess the situation.”
He further said, “There will be relief camps and food camps. I have also called a meeting now so that I tell them what is to be done next. NDRF, SDRF deployed in Sitamarhi, Madhubani and Champaran. Additional teams and Army columns will be deployed too.”
Bihar CM Nitish Kumar took stock of the flood situation in Bihar on Monday. (Source: ANI photo)
Earlier in the day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke to Kumar over the flood situation in the state and assured him of all support from the Centre to mitigate the situation. He said the situation is being monitored closely. Modi tweeted: “My thoughts are with all those affected by floods in parts of Bihar.”
“Centre assures all support to Bihar government to mitigate the flood situation. Teams of @NDRFHQ are in Bihar for rescue and relief work,” the PMO tweeted.
A man carries a table as he shifts to safe place from a flood-hit village in Araria district of Bihar on Monday. (PTI Photo)
Nearly two million people have been affected by the floods in Bihar, including thousands who have been forced to evacuate from their homes, officials said on Monday. In the last two days, over one million people were affected in the worst-hit districts of Kishanganj, Araria, Purnea and Katihar. A Kishanganj district official said, “Thousands were displaced after their villages were inundated.” Other affected districts are Darbhanga, Madhubani, Sitamarhi, Madhepura, Saharsa, Supaul, East and West Champaran. Also Read | Floods worsen, no trains to Northeast, NH cut off; PM Modi calls up Sonowal ; Army out | Click here
My thoughts are with all those affected by floods in parts of Bihar. The situation is being monitored closely: PM @narendramodi
— PMO India (@PMOIndia) August 14, 2017
Centre assures all support to Bihar government to mitigate the flood situation. Teams of @NDRFHQ are in Bihar for rescue and relief work: PM
— PMO India (@PMOIndia) August 14, 2017
The state disaster management department has asked people living in low lying areas to move to higher places as heavy rains continued. “The flood situation in Bihar will continue to be grim following rising water levels in rivers and incessant rains,” department officials were quoted as saying by IANS.
Read | PM Modi speaks to Bihar and Assam CMs, says monitoring flood situation closely
So far, at least 10 persons, including women and children, have been killed in the floods. Major rivers in the state including the Koshi, Mahananda, Gandak, Bagmati and Ganga are in spate, officials said. “With heavy rainfall in the catchment areas in Nepal, the water level of these rivers has been rising for several days,” one officer told IANS. Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Sunday has sought the Army and the Indian Air Force’s help in relief and rescue of affected people.
Villagers wade through flood waters in Kishanganj district on Sunday.(PTI Photo)
He also requested Prime Minister Narender Modi and Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh to provide all possible aid. “Both have assured their assistance,” Nitish Kumar said. The Chief Minister’s Office said an 80-member team from the Bihar Regiment rushed to Kishanganj and Araria on Sunday eveningto rescue people. “Nitish Kumar has also sought 10 additional teams of the National Disaster Relief Fund from the Centre for affected districts.”
Villagers in a flood-hit area in Katihar district of Bihar on Sunday. (PTI Photo)
Railway stations in Kishanganj, Katihar and Jogbani in Araria were flooded by water, leaving scores of passengers stranded. Eighteen trains have been cancelled since Sunday. According to officials, crops worth crores were damaged and road link to several places had been snapped.
(With IANS inputs)
