Bihar floods: Death toll mounts to 25, 77.77 lakh people affected

death toll in Bihar floods climbed to 25 on Thursday with one of 16 affected districts reporting a fresh fatality, though inundation by overflowing rivers with origins in Nepal appeared to have slowed down, causing number of those hit by calamity to rise by less than a lakh.

According to a bulletin issued by state disaster manment, Darbhanga, by far worst-affected district which accounts for 20 lakh people hit by floods, reported its 11th casualty this season.

Earlier, six deaths were reported from Muzaffarpur, four from West Champaran and two each from Saran and Siwan.

Or districts affected by floods are Sitamarhi, Sheohar, Supaul, Kishanganj, Gopalganj, East Champaran, Khagaria, Samastipur, Mhubani, Mhepura and Saharsa.

number of people hit by floods, till date, was 77.77 lakh, up from 77.18 lakh on previous day. In recent past, figure has grown by more than one lakh every day. Wednesday h registered a rise of more than two lakh people.

number of affected blocks across 16 districts was 128, one more than previous day, while 1,282 panchayats have been hit by deluge, an increase of 11 for same period, bulletin said.

Teams of NDRF and SDRF have evacuated more than five lakh people from marooned areas and about 12,500 evacuees are taking shelter at seven relief camps.

In dition, more than eight lakh people are being fed at over 1,000 community kitchens.

NDRF 9th Battalion commandant Vijay Sinha said altoger 23 teams have been deployed in 14 districts.

Those rescued by NDRF personnel, so far, include 20 women in labour who were picked up from ir respective vills and rushed, on boats, to nearest health care centres.