People Flee Flood-affected Areas in Bihar
Patna: Aug. 19, 2008
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People Flee Flood-affected Areas in Bihar
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Photo by Anupam Singh |
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The flood situation in Bihar worsened on Tuesday as all major rivers, particularly the Kosi, Ganga, and Burhi Gandak showing sharp rise in water level forcing people in many areas including Katihar, Araria, Purnia, Muzaffarpur, Patna, Supaul, to abandon their homes and move to higher areas.
The conditions have worsened in last couple of days due to heavy rain in the state and breach in the Kosi embankment in Nepal.
Determined to avoid a repeat of last year's flood-related miseries, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Tuesday, at a high level meeting of the concerned ministers and officials, reviewed the flood situation in the state while directing them to step up relief operation in the flood-affected areas.
According to a government report, Ganga was flowing nearly two feet above the danger level in Patna while Burhi Gandak was more than 32" above the red mark at Khagaria.
Kumar also said he had written to the Center seeking help in fighting flood in Bihar and has asked all state emergency machineries to remain on high alert to deal with any kind of situation.
In the Diara area in Danapur on Tuesday, due to heavy rain in the last few days, residents of six Panchayats rushed to escape the rising flood water in their villages where water had entered everywhere. Hauling their belongings on boats and makeshift rafts, villagers were seen fleeing their villages throughout the day.
Patna, in the meantime, registered more than 32 inches of rain in the last 36 hours turning once again the capital city into a floating landfill.
Gusty wind on Monday night also uprooted many trees and power lines in Patna disrupting power on Ashok Rajpath for hours.
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