A woman in labour died as she could not be taken to a hospital in absence of a boat in flood-affected north Bihar’s Muzaffarpur district, 70 kms north of Patna.
Family members said soon after the 30-year-old woman went into labour, they requested government officials to provide a boat to ferry her to the nearest health facility, about 10 km from their home in flooded Madhuban village of Aurai block in the district.
“After a long wait, a rickety boat reached the village. Being unsafe to travel in that vessel, we sought a replacement boat, but the pregnant woman died for want of medicare before it could arrive,” said family members.
Madhuban village, 39 km north of Muzaffarpur and 109 km north of state capital Patna, has been submerged in floodwaters following breach in the embankment of swollen Bagmati river and boats are the only means of transport to commute from the village.
District magistrate Dharmendra Singh said he was informed about the incident by media persons. “I have asked the nodal officer in-charge of flood relief in Aurai block to report within 24 hours under what condition the boat facility was not provided to the pregnant woman. Stern action would be taken against those found guilty,” he said.
{{/usCountry}}District magistrate Dharmendra Singh said he was informed about the incident by media persons. “I have asked the nodal officer in-charge of flood relief in Aurai block to report within 24 hours under what condition the boat facility was not provided to the pregnant woman. Stern action would be taken against those found guilty,” he said.
{{/usCountry}}Civil surgeon Dr Lalita Singh said she had sought information from in-charge of Aurai primary health centre. She said the health department had made every arrangement to help the people in distress.
Meanwhile, as the water was receding at some places in Bihar and many people have returned to their homes, the number of relief camps dropped to 624 in which 1.56 lakh people were staying, a state disaster management department official said.
The toll in Bihar floods, which have affected 1.61 crore people in 19 of the 38 districts of the state, mounted to 379 on Thursday with 12 more deaths.
Araria district accounted for 80 deaths, followed by Sitamarhi (43), West Champaran (36), Katihar (35), Madhubani (25), Kishanganj (24), Darbhanga (22), Madhepura (21), East Champaran and Gopalganj (19 each), Supaul (16), Purnea (9), Khagaria, Saran and Muzaffarpur (7 each), Sheohar and Saharsa (4 each) and Samastipur district (1).
A total of 3.44 lakh people were being served meals in 1,565 community kitchens, which are operational in marooned areas of Bihar, the official said.