Quake toll in Bihar rises to 57

The death toll in Saturday's high intensity earthquake today went up to 57 in Bihar while the number of injured increased to 200, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar said.
Kumar told reporters that ministers and senior officials have been deployed in the districts to oversee relief work after the quake measuring 7.9 on the Richter scale hit the state on Saturday and also the tropical storm which hit on Tuesday night.
He said state government would provide Rs 4 lakh compensation to families of dead and also to natives who died in Nepal in the quake.
Besides, people of Nepal who had visited relatives in Bihar and died due to quake would also qualify for the same compensation.

The Chief Minister said considering the fact that people stranded in Nepal are returning homeland mainly through Raxual, elaborate arrangements have been put in there.
District Magistrate and Superintendent of Police are themselves monitoring the relief facilities at Raxual and helping people go to their respective destinations through trains to various places of their choice, he said, adding, food packets and water were being provided to them.

The Chief Minister said 10 buses have been sent to Pokhra to bring stranded people to India through Raxual.
Thirty buses would be despatched to Kathmandu soon to carry stranded Indians back home.

He said the state government was in regular touch with the Central government with regard to carrying relief work in the state as well extending help to Nepal.
Cabinet Secretary talked to Bihar Chief Secretary today besides the state officials are in touch with External Affairs ministry on regular basis, he said after holding a a review meeting with top officials including Chief Secretary Anjani Kumar Singh, DGP P K Thakur, Principal Secretary, Disaster Management, Vyas Jee and others.
There were 11 deahts in East Champaran, 7 in Darbhanga and Sitamarhi, 6 in Araria, 3 each in Sheohar, Siwan and Lakhisarai, two each in Supual, Madhubani, Saharsa and Saran, one each in Gaya, Nalanda, West Champaran, Katihar, Munger, Muzaffarpur, Samastipur and Patna, the Disaster Management control room said.

Vyas Jee had earlier said 150 people who had reached Raxual this morning were sent to varied destinations by trains.