Govt will take every possible steps to help flood victims:CM

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar today expressed concern over the 'grim flood situation' in the state and assured the flood hit people that the government would do everything to ensure relief and rescue operations.
In his address on the 71st Independence Day function organised at the historic Gandhi Maidan, Kumar said that he always maintained that disaster victims have the first right on the state's exchequer and the government will leave no stone unturned to help them.
Thanking the prime minister for promptly sending NDRF and Army to the affected areas, Kumar said the flood situation caused by incessant rains in Nepal and some districts of north Bihar is grim.

The rivers in north Bihar are flowing above the danger level and have caused immense loss and damage, he said.
As per the initial report, around 65 lakh people of 889 panchayats across 12 districts in north Bihar have been affected by floods, he said adding while 60 blocks are fully affected, 24 are partially hit.
The government has set up 254 relief camps to provide food, shelter and medicine to the affected people.

In addition, food packets are being dropped among the flood victims.
Altogether 22 NDRF teams, 15 SDRF teams, seven Army columns apart from 1370 jawans have been deployed in the affected for relief and rescue work, he added.

Kumar said that he had undertaken an aerial survey of the flood affected areas in Purnea and Kosi divisions yesterday and he would do the same for Darbhanga today.
As per the state government's official record, 41 people have lost their lives in the flood till yesterday evening. Of them, 20 died in Araria alone.