Bihar flood situation grim as Ganga water level rises
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21/08/2016
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Hindu (New Delhi)
CM Nitish Kumar undertakes aerial survey; boats evacuate people
With the water level in the Ganga rising, the flood situation in Bihar was grim on Sunday.
Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar expressed apprehension that the situation could worsen by Monday in view of the release of water from Bansagar dam.
Mr. Kumar, who held a high-level meeting to assess the situation, later went on an aerial survey of Patna, Bhojpur, Saran, Vaishali, Begusarai and Khagaria. He told reporters that there was at the moment no possibility of flood waters entering Patna city.
Meanwhile the rising water level of the Ganga has more or less created a flood-like situation in all the districts situated along the banks of the river.
The Ganga and six other rivers were flowing above the danger mark in Patna, Bhagalpur, Khagaria, Katihar, Siwan, Bhojpur, Buxar and Hajipur districts, a disaster management department statement said.
The Ganga was flowing above the danger mark at six places in various parts of three districts — Digha ghat, Gandhi ghat, Hathidah in Patna, Bhagalpur and Kahalgaon in Bhagalpur district, Munger district and Buxar district.
Altogether 1,326 boats have been pressed into service by the government to evacuate the affected people. Deploying five teams of NDRF and SDRF personnel in the flood-affected areas the government has also put the Army on alert. — PTI
Amarnath Tewary reports from Patna:
Meanwhile, the State disaster management officials said the Ganga was flowing above the danger mark at six places in districts like Patna, Bhagalpur, Munger and Buxar. Altogether 1,326 boats have been pressed into service to evacuate the affected people. Deploying five teams of the NDRF and SDRF personnel in the flood-affected areas the government has also put the Army on alert.
“We want to assure the people that we are alert and taking all precautions to help them at this time of crisis,” said Chief Minister Nitish Kumar.