This Article is From Aug 14, 2017

41 Dead In Bihar Flood; Chief Minister Nitish Kumar Inspects Damage From Air

The East Central Railway said rail traffic has been hit between Kisanganj and Hatwar in West Bengal as water is flowing above the danger mark at a location in Katihar division

41 Dead In Bihar Flood; Chief Minister Nitish Kumar Inspects Damage From Air

Many districts in Bihar have been hit by flood due to heavy rain in Nepal (PTI)

Patna: Heavy rain in Nepal and parts of Bihar in the past three days triggered floods in the state, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar said today after he flew over the flooded areas to inspect damage. "The effect appears to be akin to flash flood," he said after flying over flood-hit Kisanganj, Araria, Purnea and Katihar districts.

Forty-one people have died in the floods, Principal Secretary of Disaster Management Department Pratyay Amrit said.

Mr Kumar was accompanied by Disaster Management Minister Dinesh Chandra Yadav and Chief Secretary Anjani Kumar Singh. Araria was the worst-affected district as floodwater has entered the district headquarter town, the chief minister said. Floodwater has entered areas in Kisanganj, three blocks in Purnea and one block in Katihar, he added, adding the state government has been carrying out relief operations.

Mr Kumar said the principal secretaries of disaster management, road construction and rural development departments will fly over the flood-hit areas tomorrow and make a report on the damage.

Mr Kumar spoke with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on phone yesterday to discuss the flood. The chief minister also had a word with Home Minister Rajnath Singh and Defence Minister Arun Jaitley.

"I thank the Centre for timely help to the marooned people of Bihar. Besides, Army column sent to Purnea, four teams of NDRF (National Disaster Response Force) had arrived in Bihar yesterday and six more NDRF teams landed today to assist state to take up relief and rehabilitation work on a war footing," Nitish Kumar said.

The East Central Railway (ECR) said rail traffic has been hit between Kisanganj and Hatwar in West Bengal as water is flowing above the danger mark at a location in Katihar division. Thirty-three trains have been cancelled and 11 have been stopped midway, ECR chief public relations officer Rajesh Kumar said in a statement.
 
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