Bihar on alert after heavy rainfall prediction

Though most of the rivers in Bihar have started receding, the Met Department has issued an alert for heavy rainfall across the state from Wednesday onwards.

“We have issued an alert to the Water Resources Department as well as Disaster Management Department since heavy rainfall is expected in the next 48 hours in Bihar, particularly the northern part of the State,” said a senior official of the Met Department.

The northern part of Bihar has already witnessed heavy rainfall this month, with most of the rivers, including Kosi, Bagmati, Gandak and Burhi Gandak flowing above the danger mark.

The heavy downpour in upper catchment area of Nepal has further aggravated the problem, as most of the rivers originating from Himalayan Kingdom flows through Bihar, thereby inundating several lakh hectares of land in the State.

Already, more than a hundred people have lost their lives across the state in this year’s flood, while around 72 lakh people have been badly affected but rehabilitated by the state government.

The Nitish regime has, meanwhile, transferred Rs 6000 each for the family affected by flood. “A total sum of Rs 181.39 crore has been transferred to the bank accounts of 3,02,329 verified flood-affected families,” said a senior official of the Disaster Management Department, adding that the beneficiary has been informed about the amount through SMS.

“This is a gratuitous relief (GR) money. Others, who have not availed of this benefit, should open their bank accounts so that the relief amount could be transferred to them,” said Nitish, while taking stock of the flood situation in North Bihar.

Apart from the financial assistance, the are also relief camps where community kitchens have been opened, so that the affected families get proper food.

Meanwhile, a breach occurred in the left embankment of Kirohi river on Monday. “The breach was, however, plugged with sand bags on Monday evening,” said Engineer-in-chief of Water Resources Department, Rajesh Kumar.