Patna, Aug 13 (PTI) Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Wednesday chaired a high-level meeting over flood in ten districts of the state and directed officials concerned to remain alert and make all arrangements for affected people.
Around 25 lakh people have been affected by the deluge in Bihar, where several rivers are in spate due to torrential rainfall in the past 24 hours, officials said on Wednesday.
According to a statement issued by the Chief Minister's Office (CMO) after the meeting, "The CM directed the district administrations and officials concerned to remain alert and be prepared if the water level rises further. Around 25 lakh people in Bhojpur, Patna, Saran, Vaishali, Begusarai, Lakhisarai, Munger, Khagaria, Bhagalpur and Katihar along the Ganga river are affected by flood."
The CM was briefed by the officials that a total of 16 teams of the NDRF and the SDRF have been engaged in rescue operations, it said.
Besides, 1,293 boats are also being used by the officials in the rescue work in the affected areas. No deaths have been reported so far from any part of Bihar, the CMO said in a statement.
Additionally, the chief minister also directed DMs concerned to prepare a list of the affected people in their respective areas so that the marooned people get flood relief assistance at the earliest, it said.
"Incessant rain in Bhojpur, Patna, Bhagalpur, Vaishali, Lakhisarai, Saran, Munger, Khagaria, Supaul and Begusarai caused rivers and streams to overflow. Besides, downpours in catchment areas of Nepal have led to rivers flowing above the danger level at several places," an official said.
Rains in the past few days have raised the water level of the Ganga, Kosi, Bagmati, Burhi Gandak, Punpun and Ghaghara rivers in the state, he said.
These rivers are flowing above the danger mark at certain places in Bhojpur, Patna, Bhagalpur, Vaishali, Lakhisarai, Saran, Munger, Khagaria and Begusarai and Supaul, the official added.
Those who were present in the meeting included Deputy Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary, Disaster Management Minister Vijay Kumar Mandal, Development Commissioner Pratyaya Amrit, Water Resources Department (WRD) Principal Secretary Santosh Kumar Mall and other senior officials of the state government.