Bihar flood situation remains grim; 8.362 million people affected

No fresh areas were inundated by

flood water for the third consecutive day in Bihar where 83.62 lakh people across 16 districts were reeling under the impact of the deluge, the Disaster Management Department said on Tuesday.

The number of flood victims and affected areas remained the same since Saturday, the department's bulletin said adding that 83,62,451 people in 1,333 panchayats of 130 blocks are hit by the deluge.

However, the number of people being served cooked food and that of community kitchens are decreasing gradually.

The bulletin said that 1.38 lakh people were fed at 174 community kitchens on Tuesday.

On Monday, these figures were 1.60 lakh and 198 respectively.

The number of people who got cooked food had come down to 1.78 lakh on Sunday from 2.09 lakh the previous day, while that of community kitchens reduced by 50 since Saturday to reach 219.

Flood-related deaths also remained unchanged at 27.

The highest 11 casualties were registered in Darbhanga district, followed by six in Muzaffarpur, four in West Champaran and two each in Saran, Siwan and Khagaria.

Six relief centres are functional in the state now, where 5,186 people are staying, the bulletin said.

It said that about 5.50 lakh people have been evacuated so far by 26 teams of National Disaster Response Force and State Disaster Response Force.

Meanwhile, the Ganga continued to flow above the danger mark at three places in the state -- Gandhi Ghat and Hathidah in Patna and Kahalgaon in Bhagalpur district, the Water Resources Department said.

The river is flowing nine cm above the danger level at Gandhi Ghat, over 31 cm above it at Hathidah and more than 33 cm above the red mark at Kahalgaon, it said.

The Bagmati river is flowing above the danger level at five places - Dheng, Sonakhan and Kataujha in Sitamarhi district, Benibad in Muzaffarpur district and Hayaghat in Darbhanga district.