19 NDRF teams in flood-hit Bihar: MoS Home Nityanand Rai

As many as 19 National Disaster Response Force teams have been deployed in flood-hit Bihar, Minister of State for Home Nityanand Rai told reporters on Tuesday and asserted that the Centre is ready to provide all necessary assistance to the state.

He said Home Minister Amit Shah has instructed officials to be in touch with the authorities in flood-hit states like Assam and Bihar to help them with manpower and other resources as required.

Rai, who hails from Bihar, said seven NDRF teams were present in the state and 12 more have been sent there to help flood victims.

Unusual torrential rainfall in catchment areas in Nepal and subsequent massive discharge of water in rivers led to flash floods in Bihar where 25 people have lost their lives in the last few days while more than one lakh people have been moved to safer areas, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar told the Assembly on Tuesday.

A total of 25.72 lakh people have been affected by the natural calamity so far, he said.