Bihar flood toll reaches 119

Nearly one crore people have been affected by the Bihar floods that have claimed 119 lives so far, an official said on Friday.

The Bihar disaster management department official said over 98 lakh people in 1,532 panchayats under 139 blocks in 16 districts have been affected by the floods.

It has washed away thousands of huts, damaged buildings, roads, bridges and standing crops worth crores.

According to the official, 408,903 people have been evacuated to safer places by the Army, NDRF, SDRF and other rescue teams in the last four days.

The state government has set up 1,238 relief camps in which 310,041 people were living in the flood-hit districts.

"With reports of major rivers in spate breaching banks, inundating new areas and displacing thousands since Thursday night, the numbers affected is likely to cross 1 crore on Friday," the official said.

"So far 119 people have died in the floods," the official said, but unconfirmed reports put death toll at 150.

According to him, the toll included the highest number of 23 death reported from Araria district, the worst hit; followed by 12 in Sitamarhi and 11 each in Kishanganj, East Champaran, West Champaran and Supaul.

In Madhubani seven deaths were reported, followed by Madhepura and Purnea districts where the toll was five each.

The toll in Darbhanga and Saharsa districts was four each, while that in Gopalganj and Khagaria was three each.

More than 60 lakh people were affected alone in Kishanganj, Araria, Purnea, Katihar, East and West Champaraan districts in the last three days.

The official said there was little chance of respite.

--IANS

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