1.5 million affected in Bihar floods
August 22nd, 2011 - 9:50 pm ICT by IANSPatna, Aug 22 (IANS) Floods in Bihar have affected nearly 1.5 million people in 12 districts, with thousands struggling to survive under open skies, according to Special Secretary Sunil Kumar of the Disaster Management Department.
The report comes even as state Chief Minister Nitish Kumar undertook an aerial survey of the inundated areas for the second consecutive day.
The department said that flood waters had entered more than 1,000 villages in 500 panchayats and rising level of most rivers threatened to inundate many others. The affected villages were in the districts of Bhagalpur, Muzaffarpur, Gopalganj, Munger, Begusarai, Katihar, Araria, Purnia, Saharsa, Darbhanga, Madhepura and Saran.
“The floods have badly hit Bhagalpur district,” an official said. Elsewhere in the state, thousands have been forced to take shelter on embankments, highways, in schools and other buildings on high ground. “Water entered these villages after levels rose in all major rivers following heavy rains in the state and the catchment areas in Nepal.”
In 2008, over three million people were rendered homeless in Bihar when the Kosi river breached its bank upstream in Nepal and changed course. It was said to be the worst flood in the state in the last 50 years.
The government has promised to provide foodgrain to the affected and directed officials of flood-hit districts to open relief camps.
According to the Central Water Commission, the Ganges crossed the red mark at several places. Similarly, the Kosi was flowing above the danger mark and Mahananda at other places.
Standing crops worth crores of rupees have been damaged and road communication at several places has snapped. “Rising rivers have badly hit paddy cultivation and destroyed standing banana and maize crops in Bhagalpur and other districts,” a commission official said.
Meanwhile, Bihar Water Resources Development Minister Vijay Kumar Choudhary said all river embankments were safe and there was no need to panic.
- Floods render thousands homeless in Bihar - Aug 21, 2011
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- Flood waters enter over 1,000 Bihar villages - Aug 20, 2011
- Bihar cop fires on protesting flood victims, suspended - Aug 26, 2011
- Disaster control teams deployed in flood-hit Bihar - Aug 19, 2011
- Bihar floods worsen, over 100 villages inundated - Jul 04, 2011
- Nearly 100 Bihar villages flooded, rivers rising - Jul 02, 2011
- More embankments to control floods in Bihar - Jul 05, 2011
- Fear of floods back in Bihar - Jul 01, 2011
- Bihar flood situation grim as all rivers rise - Jul 07, 2011
- Over half a million hit by Bihar floods - Jul 06, 2011
- Rising Kosi floods dozens of Bihar villages - Jul 05, 2012
- 'In Bihar, floods are a man-made menace' - Aug 25, 2011
- Flood alert in nine districts in Bihar - Sep 11, 2011
- Thousands flee as Gandak breaches embankments (Lead) - Sep 16, 2010
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