Flood situation eases, 7 lakh evacuated

The flood situation in five districts of Bihar eased with water receding in several areas as over seven lakh people have been evacuated to safer places. Special. | HT helps you reach out to flood victims

The flood situation in five north eastern districts of Bihar eased on Thursday further with water receding in several areas as the Army and Navy contingents evacuated over 7.69 people to safer places.

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Though reports from worst-hit Madhepura, Supaul and Purnia districts said the water level had gone down at some places by over two-three feet, Water Resource department sources said the discharge in the Kosi from Barahkshetra in Nepal had increased marginally from 1.11 lakh cusecs on Wednesday noon to a little over 1.3 lakh cusecs on Thursday.

A population of over 25.71 lakh is affected by the floods in Supaul, Madhepura, Saharsa, Purnia and Araria districts of which 7,69,800 marooned people have been evacuated so far, Additional
Commissioner of Disaster Management department Pratyay Amrit said.
He said over 2.78 lakh people were taking shelter in 256 relief camps and many more had shifted to other safer places.

Official death toll in the 16 flood-ravaged districts so far stood at 69, he said.

Besides the five north eastern districts, a population of over 10.28 lakh was hit by the floods in Muzaffarpur, Patna, Katihar, Nalanda, West Champaran, Khagaria, Sheikhpura, Saran, Begusarai, Bhagalpur and Vaishali districts.

Thirty army columns comprising about 3360 men with 300 motorboats, four navy columns of 180 men and 12 boats and 635 personnel of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) were assisting the state administration in relief and rescue efforts.