Heavvy rainfall has led to flooding in many parts of Bihar. On Saturday, as the flood situation worsened in North Bihar, three Indian Air Force helicopters joined the rescue and relief efforts. Based out of Motihari, Gopalganj and Darbhanga the IAF choppers are carrying out sorties for distribution of cooked food materials to the marooned people.
Food packets are being prepared at the S K Memorial Hall in Patna and sent by road to the helicopters, according to the disaster management department. The government has started 271 community centres in the flood affected pockets.
All the major rivers in North Bihar, namely Ganga, Gandak, Adhwara, Kosi and Kamla are in spate, resulting in the inundation of over 10,000 villages in the state.
As water from the Gandak river overflowed, the railway tracks near Hayaghat station were affected, and the rail connectivity between Darbhanga and Samastipur has been snapped. The Railways has cancelled the movement of trains on different sections connecting Darbhanga, Samastipur and Muzaffarpur. The Darbhanga-New Delhi Saptkranti Express has been cancelled.
Roadways too have been hit in the different north Bihar districts, with flood waters damaging several National Highways and state high-ways. On Saturday, the District Magistrates of Gopalganj and East Champaran conducted an aerial survey of the flood hit areas to locate the highways that have been damaged by the floods.
District Magistrate of East Chamapran, Shirshat Kapil Ashok on Saturday morning helped rescue efforts after a man in his 50s was swept away by the swollen Gandak river. The man had managed to catch th branch of a tree in the river, and his screams for help were heard by the NDRF rescue team which was on a boat.
The DM too heard his scream for help, and moved the boat towards the tree to help him. The DM may have saved his life, reaching him and pulling him onto the boat.
The Saran embankment along the Gandak was breached at four places on Saturday due to the gushing waters. Movement of vehicles to different districts connecting Gopalganj has been suspended. The approach bridges for two of the grand bridges across the Gandak river, in Gopalganj and Bettiah, have also caved in causing suspension of traffic.
In Patna too, Ganga and Punpun on northern and southern parts of the city are causing alarm, as the two rivers are flowing above the danger marks. Water from flooded Ganga has entered half a dozen localities in Danapur subdivision on the northern side of Patna and Punpun waters have entered Fatuah town in eastern Patna.
There has also been massive property and infrastructural damage, with even medical facilities being affected. Motihari Sadar hospital in Champaran for example, is under knee deep water.
According to official sources,more than a dozen districts have been hit by floods.
They include Dabhanga (worst hit), Madhubani, Kishanganj, Supaul, Muzaffarpur, East Champaran, West Champaran, Gopalganj, Saran, Sheohar, Sitamarhi, Naugachiya, Khagaria and Bhagalpur.
