Bihar floods claim 51 lives in a day, toll jumps to 253
: The flash floods, which have hit close to 1.26 crore people in 20 districts of north Bihar, claimed 51 more lives in the last 24 hours taking the toll to 253 on Sunday.
Lakhs of people are still stranded in inaccessible flood affected locations, particularly in Seemanchal region and East and West Champaran districts.
The worst hit districts are Araria, Katihar, West Champaran and Sitamarhi from where maximum number of casualties has been reported.
Though the disaster management department (DMD) claimed that rescue operations had been launched on a war footing, according to reports , lakhs of marooned people had no access to relief materials.
This can be substantiated by the fact that while the deluge
THE STATE GOVERNMENT IS ALSO RUNNING 2569 COMMUNITY KITCHENS, WHICH FEED AROUND FIVE LAKH AFFECTED PEOPLE DAILY
has affected 1.26 crore population, only 7.21 lakh people have been evacuated so far. As per DMD figures, the government has set up 1385 relief camps where 4.21 lakh people are staying.
The state government is also running 2569 community kitchens, which feed around five lakh affected people daily.
Those who could not be evacuated were receiving relief materials, including dry ration, through air droppings, said a DMD press release. It, however, said people were returning to their respective villages, where floodwaters had started receding.
The government has pressed in 51 rescue teams comprising the Army, NDRF and SDRF to evacuate the marooned and provide relief materials to flood-hit people. Altogether, 2248 personnel are engaged in the rescues mission. Around 280 boats have been engaged by the rescuers in various parts of north Bihar districts.
Chief minister Nitish Kumar reviewed the flood situation and issued necessary instructions to officials of the DMD and water resources department (DMD) to step up rescue operations.
Health minister Mangal Pandey on Sunday dispatched six vehicles carrying relief materials, to Gopalganj.
The BJP also dispatched 25 vehicles loaded with relief materials to the affected districts.