Bihar flood toll rises to 216, major rivers below danger mark

With three fresh reports of death, the toll in Bihar floods today increased to 216 even as the flood situation in the state appears to be easing with most of the rivers, including Ganga, flowing below their danger marks.
The three deaths have been reported from Saran district, a Disaster Management Department statement said.
According to Water Resources Department, Punpun river at Sripalpur in Patna, Kamlabalan river at Jhanjharpur and Kosi river at Baltara in Khagaria district were flowing above danger level.
But the other rivers, including Ganga, were flowing below the danger mark, the release said, adding that the places reporting it are Digha ghat, Gandhi ghat and Hathidah in Patna district and Buxar, Munger, Kahalgaon and Bhagalpur in Bhagalpur district.

The flood has affected 40.60 lakh people in 2,210 villages of 618 panchayats of 79 blocks in 12 districts, the release said, adding that 3.95 lakh people have been evacuated from the affected districts of Buxar, Bhojpur, Patna, Vaishali, Saran, Begusarai, Samastipur, Lakhisarai, Khagaria, Munger, Bhagalpur and Katihar, the statement said.
As per the officials, five concrete houses have collapsed, while 466 kucha houses have been washed away and 2,774 huts have been destroyed by the surging flood waters.

The government has deployed 3,082 boats for evacuation, while national and state disaster response forces have already been deployed in the affected districts, it said.

A total of 1.88 lakh people have taken shelter in 318 relief camps which are being provided medical services by 592 teams.
A total of 220 camps are being operated for cattle affected in the floods. A total 135 cattle have died so far in the calamity.
Assessment of damage to agricultural lands and crops was being done, the release said.