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    Bihar flood turns grim: 4 dead, 18 lakh hit, JD (U) MP faces wrath of villagers over 'negligence'

    Synopsis

    A total of 17,96,535 population has been affected by flood waters in 55 blocks of nine districts - Sheohar, Sitamarhi, East Champaran, Madhubani, Araria, Kishanganj, Supaul, Darbhanga and Muzaffarpur.

    Agencies
    PATNA: The flood situation in Bihar has turned grim with the death of four people as around 18 lakh were affected in nine districts of the state, as per a report of news wire agency PTI on Sunday.

    Five rivers of the state are flowing above the danger level due to torrential rains in the catchment areas bordering Nepal, the report said quoting the Disaster Management Department.

    Chief Minister Nitish Kumar conducted an aerial survey of the flood-affected areas of several districts.

    Of the four deaths, the report said, two were reported from Araria, while one each was reported from Sheohar and Kishanganj districts.

    A total of 17,96,535 population has been affected by flood waters in 55 blocks of nine districts - Sheohar, Sitamarhi, East Champaran, Madhubani, Araria, Kishanganj, Supaul, Darbhanga and Muzaffarpur.

    The report added that about 11 lakh people have been affected in the worst-hit Sitamarhi district, followed by 5 lakh in Araria.

    It said 13 teams of NDRF and SDRF have been deployed to carry out relief and rescue operations in the affected districts.

    The authorities have also opened 152 relief camps giving shelter to 45,053 people, while 251 community kitchens have been made functional.

    The chief minister held a high-level meeting to review the flood situation. Later, he conducted the aerial survey of flood-affected areas of Darbhanga, Madhubani, Sheohar, Sitamarhi and East Champaran districts.

    Water Resources Minister Sanjay Jha, Chief Secretary Deepak Kumar, Additional Chief Secretary (Water Resources department) Arun Kumar and Disaster Management Department Principal Secretary Pratyaya Amrit accompanied Kumar during the aerial survey.

    At the meeting, the chief minister directed the officials to keep decent arrangement for the flood-hit people at the camps.

    He also ordered for expediting the relief and rescue operations, an official release said.

    Around 280 to 300 mm rainfall has been received in the past three-four days in Terai region of Nepal against 50 mm of average rainfall recorded during the past years, it said.

    The excessive rainfall created a flashflood in the state, causing five rivers - Baghmati, Kamla Balan, Lalbakeya, Adhwara and Mahananda - to flow above danger level at various places.

    The Patna Meteorological Centre has forecast rain with thunderstorm at many places in Bihar in the next four days.

    JD (U) MP faces wrath of villagers over 'negligence'
    Meanwhile, another news wire agency ANI reported that Janata Dal (United) MP from Jhanjharpur constituency, RP Mandal, who went to Bihar's Madhubani to take stock of the flood situation in Naruar village, faced the wrath of villagers for allegedly showing negligence and laid back attitude towards the people reeling under the aftermath of the natural calamity.

    In a video of the incident, anguished villagers can be seen holding sticks in their hands, pushing and threatening the JD (U) leader and his team, and asking them to leave the village.

    Police had to intervene in the matter and rescued the JD (U) leader amidst a swarm of angered locals.

    Bihar is witnessing floods as the water levels of several rivers have been rising following heavy rains in the past few days.

    Many villages of Bihar's Araria, Darbhanga and Madhubani districts are flooded following heavy rainfall in the area.

    Flood water has entered many villages in the districts, leading to disruption of normal life.

    Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar had on Sunday chaired a high-level meeting over the floods in the state and directed officials to remain alert by keeping an eye on all factors responsible for it.

    During the meeting, the Chief Minister directed a delegation comprising officials to make adequate arrangements for setting up of camps and keep in touch with the people, an official statement said.

    The Chief Minister was apprised about the rising water level in the rivers and the progress in the construction of roads damaged due to floods in the state.

    Source: PTI/ANI


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