Flood Situation Worsens in Bihar

July 16: The Flood situation in Bihar worsened on Tuesday, July 16, with train services disrupting between Darbhanga-Sitamarhi rail section as flood water entered dozens of new villages in nearly half a dozen districts, following a rise in water level of major rivers, officials said. 

Railway officials in Samastipur DRM office said that three trains have been cancelled due to flood water hitting girder on bridge. Some trains have been stopped at Darbhanga railway station in view of rising water level of Khiroi river touching railway bridge 18. 

With water level rising in rivers Bagmati, Lakgadei, Gandak, Budhi Gandak and Kamla Balan, flood water has entered dozens of villages in Muzaffarpur, Sitamarhi, Sheohar, Madhubani and Darbhanga districts, officials of Disaster Management Department told NewsClick. 

In the last 24 hours, fresh areas in three new districts of Saharsa, Katihar and Purnea inundated. Floodwater entered dozens of villages in these districts that forced people to flee their homes to seek shelter at safer places,” official of the Disaster Management Department, said. 

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Due to the rising water level of the rivers, the state Water Resources Department has issued a flood alert in the flood-prone northern Bihar districts bordering Nepal. However, reports reaching here suggest that thousands of people have been forced to flee from their homes after their villages inundated. They have taken shelters at high rise places including embankments under open sky, National Highways (NHs), school buildings and government buildings. 

According to officials, flood situation worsened in Darbhanga, Sitamarhi and Madhubani after fresh areas inundated. 

Till date, about 25.71 lakh (more than 2.5 million) people living in 546 panchayats under 77 blocks of 12 districts have been affected by the floods caused by the heavy rains in north Bihar and catchment areas of major rivers in neighbouring Nepal. 

Meanwhile, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Tuesday, July 16, informed the Bihar Assembly that 25 people have died due to floods in the state so far. He said the government is aware of the flood situation and is also alert. 

Nitish Kumar, in his reply on the flood situation in the ongoing monsoon session of the state assembly said that relief and rescue operations are underway. He informed the House that till date, 26 teams of NDRF and SDRF have been deployed in flood hit 12 districts and they have rescued around 1,25,000 people safely from flood affected areas. 

Also Read: Yearly Floods in Bihar: Traditional Dairy Farmers Suffer

However, unconfirmed reports revealed that five minor girls drowned in Sheohar district on Tuesday and three people drowned in Muzaffarpur. 

In view of the worsening flood situation, the state government has cancelled the leave of doctors and health department officials in flood-hit districts. The state Disaster Management Department has asked people living in low lying areas to move to higher places as heavy rains continue. 

Nitish Kumar, who had already conducted an aerial survey of the flood affected districts of Seemanchal and Koshi region on Sunday and Monday, is likely to make another aerial survey to assess the situation. 

Reports from flood hit areas said that thousands of displaced flood victims have been protesting against inadequate relief and rescue operations by district administrations. At several places, angry flood victims have staged protests and have ambushed visiting local administrative officials.