Patna, September 5 (Daily Kiran) : The state of Bihar is grappling with severe flooding, impacting over 1 million residents across 11 districts. In response, the state government has ramped up relief and rescue operations under the directives of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar. As of Saturday, approximately 10.26 lakh people have been affected in 201 panchayats across 50 blocks.
The Disaster Management Department reports that a comprehensive relief campaign is underway to provide immediate assistance to those impacted. To ensure health services and safe transportation, 50 medical camps, 19 boat ambulances, and 36 veterinary camps are operational in the affected areas.
To facilitate the evacuation and movement of displaced individuals, 858 boats have been deployed. So far, more than 12,000 plastic sheets and around 2,300 dry ration packets have been distributed to affected families. Additionally, 38 community kitchen centers are providing two meals a day to flood victims, serving approximately 1.21 lakh individuals.
In Vaishali district, a relief camp is set up to accommodate around 326 flood-affected people, offering housing, food, and medical care. To tackle potential disasters and ensure swift relief efforts, seven teams from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and 27 teams from the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) are stationed across various affected districts.
Current water levels indicate that the Ganges River in Patna is at 50.57 meters, with levels at Banka Ghat and Pandarak also exceeding flood danger marks. Other rivers, including Gandak, Kosi, and Ghaghara, are similarly above warning levels. In the Saran district, a breach in the embankment near Trilokchak on the Mahi River has been reported, prompting the dispatch of an SDRF team to the site.
The weather department has forecast light to moderate rainfall in several parts of the state over the next two days, with some areas expecting heavy showers. In anticipation of these conditions, the Disaster Management Department is closely monitoring the situation. To address flooding in Patna, all 56 drainage pumping stations have been activated, and 94 additional pumps have been installed across six municipal zones for effective water removal.
To alleviate drainage pressure, the Water Resources Department is halting discharge from the Patna and Danapur canals. Additionally, sluice gates on 13 small drains have been closed to prevent backflow from the Ganges, and pump sets are being deployed for drainage operations.
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