47 more die, Army airdrops food in flood-ravaged districts

  • | Friday | 18th August, 2017

PATNA: The flood scenario remained grim in the state on Thursday with 47 more deaths being reported from different districts, taking the toll to 119. Although the water level in the Ganga is on the rise, it has so far not crossed the danger level anywhere in the state. “DMs of the affected districts have been asked to open community kitchens to provide cooked food to the flood-hit people,” he added.Amrit said the Army choppers have been making sorties to air drop dry food to people trapped in rural areas. Around 98 lakh people in 15 of the 38 districts remained affected due to the floods.According to figures released by the disaster management department (DMD), over 4.08 lakh people have so far been evacuated and 3.41 lakh relief camps set up across the state. “We have asked the Araria DM to probe the matter and submit a report,” DMD principal secretary Pratyaya Amrit said.At least 27 teams of NDRF, 16 of SDRF and seven columns of Army with two choppers have been conducting rescue and relief operations across the state.The DMD principal secretary said the government’s priority has now shifted to providing relief materials to the marooned people, while the evacuation of trapped people has also been going on.

PATNA: The flood scenario remained grim in the state on Thursday with 47 more deaths being reported from different districts, taking the toll to 119. Around 98 lakh people in 15 of the 38 districts remained affected due to the floods.According to figures released by the disaster management department (DMD), over 4.08 lakh people have so far been evacuated and 3.41 lakh relief camps set up across the state. More than 1.95 lakh people, on the other hand, are being served food through 1,646 community kitchens.Twenty-three people have died in Araria district alone, 12 in Sitamarhi, 11 each in Kishanganj, East Champaran, West Champaran and Supaul, seven each in Madhubani and Katihar, five each in Madhepura and Purnia, four each in Saharsa and Darbhanga, three each in Gopalganj and Khagaria and two in Sheohar.Taking serious note of reports that human bodies were being thrown in a river in Araria district to keep the number of flood deaths in the district low, the DMD has sought a detailed report from the district magistrate on the matter. “We have asked the Araria DM to probe the matter and submit a report,” DMD principal secretary Pratyaya Amrit said.At least 27 teams of NDRF, 16 of SDRF and seven columns of Army with two choppers have been conducting rescue and relief operations across the state.The DMD principal secretary said the government’s priority has now shifted to providing relief materials to the marooned people, while the evacuation of trapped people has also been going on. “DMs of the affected districts have been asked to open community kitchens to provide cooked food to the flood-hit people,” he added.Amrit said the Army choppers have been making sorties to air drop dry food to people trapped in rural areas. “The DMs have also been asked to provide 10kg of relief items in special packet to each of the flood-hit families,” he said, adding the relief items include rice, pulse, chura, candles and match box.Principal secretary (health) R K Mahajan said additional doctors and ambulances have been sent to the affected districts.Road construction department principal secretary Amrit Lal Meena and rural works secretary Vinay Kumar said road repair work would be undertaken after floodwaters recede.The only silver lining was that most of the major rivers, except the Ganga, were flowing below the danger level on Thursday. Although the water level in the Ganga is on the rise, it has so far not crossed the danger level anywhere in the state.

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