Bihar flood toll 179, Ganga shows receding trend at places

Patna: The toll in Bihar floods on Friday mounted to 179 with seven more deaths reported in the state, even as water level of the swollen Ganga has started receding in many parts.

The seven fresh deaths have been reported from Vaishali, Samastipur and Khagaria.

Vaishali alone accounted for the highest number of deaths at five, followed by Samastipur and Khagaria with one death each, a statement by the Disaster Management Department said.

The overall death toll in floods in Bihar has risen to 179, the statement said.

The flood has been caused mainly by swollen Ganga apart from other rain-fed rivers such as Sone, Punpun, Burhi Gandak, Ghaghra, Kosi and has affected 41.40 lakh people in 2,173 villages under 613 panchayats of 77 blocks of 12 districts in the state, it said.

A total of 6.56 lakh people have been evacuated so far from the 12 flood-affected districts of Buxar, Bhojpur, Patna, Vaishali, Saran, Begusarai, Samastipur, Lakhisarai, Khagaria, Munger, Bhagalpur and Katihar, the statement said.

According to Water Resources Department, Ganga is witnessing a receding trend at Digha ghat, Gandhi ghat and Hathidah in Patna while it is receding in Buxar and Munger.

But its water is still flowing above the danger mark at two places - Bhagalpur and Kahalgaon - in Bhagalpur district, it said.

The water level was recorded below danger mark at Gandhi Ghat and Digha Ghat for second consecutive day, thus bringing much needed relief for Patnaites who were facing the threat of flood waters entering the city at one point of time.

Budhi Gandak was flowing above red mark in Khagaria, it added.

The government has deployed 2,944 boats for evacuation while national and state disaster response forces have already been deployed in the affected districts.

A total of 696 relief camps are being run in the flood-hit areas in which 4.08 lakh people have taken shelter. They are being provided medical services by 574 teams.

A total of 210 camps are being operated for cattle affected by flooding of households.