Bihar floods: Toll rises to 213, although major rivers flow below danger mark

The toll in Bihar floods rose to 213 with eight fresh deaths being reported on Wednesday, although a majority of rivers are now flowing below the danger mark. The new casualties have been reported from Vaishali district on the other side of the Ganga from Patna, the state Disaster Management Department said in a statement. 

With this, the toll in Bihar floods including the earlier inundation in Kosi regions, triggered mainly by heavy rains in neighbouring Nepal, on Wednesday climbed to 213 in the state. A total of 86 animals have lost lives in the floods. As per information available with Water Resources department, Punpun was flowing above danger level in Sripalpur, Kamlabalan in Jhanjharpur and Kosi in Baltara in Khagaria district.

The other rivers including Ganga were flowing below danger mark, it added. Flood condition continued to prevail in 12 districts of Bihar including Patna. A total of 79 blocks and 613 panchayats are under inundation at present. The flood has affected 40.60 lakh people in 2,190 villages, the statement said. About 3.17 lakh people have been evacuated from the flood-hit Buxar, Bhojpur, Patna, Vaishali, Saran, Begusarai, Samastipur, Lakhisarai, Khagaria, Munger, Bhagalpur and Katihar districts, the statement said.

 The government has deployed 2,973 boats for evacuation while national and state disaster response forces have already been deployed in the affected districts. With the flood situation easing, the number of relief camps have come down to 181 where 1.15 lakh people continue to take shelter. The extent of damage to agricultural areas and crops loss was being estimated.