Bihar flood toll rises to 135

Patna, Aug 25 (PTI) With reports of eight fresh deathstoday, the total toll in Bihar flood increased to 135, withBhojpur district accounting for 12 deaths in the second roundof floods due to the swollen Ganga. The flood, caused by a spate in the Ganga, Sone, Punpun,Burhi Gandak, Ghaghra, Kosi and other rivers, has affected31.33 lakh people in 1,934 villages in 12 districts, aDisaster Management Department statement said. After Bhojpur district, the maximum number of deaths inthe second round of floods in the state were reported fromVaishali (7), Samastipur (6), Saran (5), Bhagalpur andKhagaria two each and Buxar, Lakhisarai and Munger one each. The Ganga was flowing above the danger mark at sevenplaces in various parts of four districts – Digha ghat, Gandhighat, Hathidah in Patna, Bhagalpur and Kahalgaon in Bhagalpurdistrict, Munger district and Buxar district. The 12 flood-affected districts are Buxar, Bhojpur,Patna, Vaishali, Saran, Begusarai, Samastipur, Lakhisarai,Khagaria, Munger, Bhagalpur and Katihar, the statement said,adding 28 cattle also perished in the deluge. A total of 3.44 lakh people were evacuated, the releasesaid, adding 433 relief camps were being run in the flood-hitareas, giving shelter to 1.74 lakh people. A total of 227medical teams were providing services to the affected. Besides, 108 camps have been opened for animals, it said. Chief Minister Nitish Kumar visited various relief campsin Patna to interact with those residing in camps. Kumar visited various relief camps at Maner, Digha, Patnaand ohers accompanied by Water Resources Minister Rajiv RanjanSingh, Chief Secretary Anjani Kumar Singh, DGP P K Thakur,Patna DM Sanjay Kumar Agarwal and other senior officials. Altogether 2,333 boats are being plied by the governmentto evacuate the affected people to safer places. National andState Disaster Response Forces have already been deployed invarious parts of the flood-affected districts, the statementadded. PTI AR MDSRY