Bihar Floods: 19 NDRF Teams Deployed, Scores Rehabilitated as Heavy Rainfall in Nepal Swells Gandak and Kosi Rivers
The Nepali government had, on Monday, released three lakh cusecs of water into the Kosi river after their reservoir had hit the threshold. Incessant rainfall in parts of Bihar that serve as catchment area in Gandak river basin has further aggravated the crisis.
Patna, July 23: Several parts of Bihar are ravaged by the floods, with nearly 5 lakh people in the state being affected. Critics of the incumbent government call the calamity an "annual affair" in the state recurring each year during Monsoon. They accuse the Nitish Kumar-led regime of taking insufficient measures to avert the crisis. The state and central disaster management teams, over the past three days, are working strenuously to minimise the loss of lives and property.
The floods were triggered by heavy rainfall in the neighbouring nation of Nepal, which has led to the overflowing of Gandak and Kosi rivers that flow into the Indian state of Bihar. Close to Five Lakh Affected by Floods in Bihar.
The Nepali government had, on Monday, released three lakh cusecs of water into the Kosi river after their reservoir had hit the threshold. Incessant rainfall in parts of Bihar that serve as catchment area in Gandak river basin has further aggravated the crisis.
A total of eight districts have been affected so far, including Darbhanga, Madhubani, West Champaran, East Champaran, Gopalganj, Muzaffarpur, Vaishali and Saran.
Scores of villagers in Gandak and Kosi basins - in Darbhanga and Madhubani districts - were rehabilitated to safer locations. Many of the locals left the village houses on their own to move to safer locations.
A total of 19 NDRF teams have been deployed in Bihar to avert the crisis in case the embankments are damaged and river water ends up sweeping dozens of villages.
Even as Bihar stares at the risk of a fatal deluge, the state has already lost scores of lives due to lightning strikes. Ten persons were killed this week in four districts across the state.
The worst-deluge in Bihar, in recent history, was reported in 2008. A total of 434 people were killed in the floods that were caused by the overflowing of Koshi river from Nepal.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jul 23, 2020 04:53 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).