Bihar floods: 5 die in Araria, CM Nitish Kumar holds aerial survey

Flood situation in the state deteriorated further with swirling water of rivers in spate engulfing fresh areas in north Bihar districts by breaching safety embankments at many places and claiming five more lives on Sunday.

More than 13 lakh population of 44 blocks of eight districts, including Sheohar, Sitamarhi, East Champaran, Madhubani, Araria, Kishanganj, Supaul and Darbhanga, have been badly affected by floods caused by rivers originating from Nepal.

In Araria, at least five persons are said to have drowned and died in the flood caused by Pamar river, a tributary of Mahananda, even as four lakh people residing in five blocks of the districts have been badly hit.

After inundating the block headquarters in Palasi and Sikti, the floodwaters has entered Araria town.

Hundreds of villages of nine blocks of Madhubani have been submerged under water after gushing currents of Kamla Balan breaching the safety embankments at Nunuar and Rakhwari villages, leaving more than 40,000 people marooned, and also a few missing.

Given the gravity of the situation, chief minister Nitish Kumar on Sunday conducted aerial survey of flood-affected areas of Darbhanga, Madhubani, Sitamarhi and Sheohar and asked the officials to conduct rescue and relief operations on a war footing.

Earlier, the CM held a high-level meeting to review the flood scenario and asked the officials to ensure prompt action to provide relief to the people.

Water resources minister Sanjay Jha and chief secretary Deepak Kumar were also present.

Principal secretary of disaster management department (DMD), Pratyay Amrit, who accompanied the CM during the aerial survey, said teams of state disaster response force (SDRF) and its central counterpart NDRF were engaged in the rescue operations.

He said over 100 relief camps had been set up in the affected districts and community kitchens were being operated for those rescued.

Madhubani DM Shirsat Kapil Ashok, however, visited the affected areas and supervised rescue operations. A medical team has also been rushed to join the rescue and relief operations.

Kamala Balan continued to wreak havoc in Darbhanga after breaking through the safety embankments at four places in Jainagar block, including Kakodha and Kaithwar villages.

Thousands of villagers of three blocks of the district, including Alinagar, Birol, and Ghanshyampur, have been stranded and looking for early relocation due to overnight flood.

Araria DM Baidyanath Yadav said rescue operations were being carried on a war footing and flood affected people were being shifted to safer places.

Those who lost lives were identified as Gulam Sarwar (45) of Mahalgaon (Jokihat), Ashok Mandal (38) of Forbesganj, Baso Lal (65) of Amora, Radha Devi (40) of Tarabari, Indra Nanad Chaudhary (18) of Tarabari.

In Muzaffapur, Bagmati river has already affected a large part of Aurai, Katra, Gaighat blocks of the district thereby inundating newer areas. 

Situation is turning grim in Muzaffarpur town as the river water of Budhi Gandak has put a lot of pressure on it’s embankment.

Meanwhile, State Congress chief Madan Mohan Jha and MLC Prem Chandra Mishra, who hail from Darbhanga and Madhubani districts, blamed the state government for the miseries of the people saying that the water resources minister visited the area many times, but failed to take precautionary steps in time.

(With inputs from Aditya N Jha in Purnia, Bishnu K Jha in Darbhanga, KJ Saquib in Muzaffarpur)