Centre dispatches chopper, boats, men to help flood affected

"The Home Ministry is closely monitoring the situation and is in constant touch with the state governments for extending assistance as may be required by them," an official spokesperson said.

In response to the flood situation in Orissa, which has reportedly affected a population of 8.60 lakh in 19 districts, the Centre has coordinated the deployment of three helicopters for rescue and relief operations.

On the request of the state government four teams of National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) comprising 125 personnel along with 25 boats have been deployed at Kendrapara, Delanga, Pipli and Jajpur for rescue and relief activities. The teams have so far rescued 135 people.

The Orissa government has opened 275 relief camps and 17 medical camps. In Bihar, floods have affected a population of nearly 3.5 lakh specially in the districts of Rohtas, Aurangabad, Bhojpur, Patna and Arwal and the Home Ministry has coordinated the deployment of helicopters for rescue and relief operations. Eight NDRF teams comprising 212 personnel along with 28 boats have been deployed in Bihar.

In Assam, 9.12 lakh people have been affected and five teams of NDRF comprising 131 personnel along with 19 boats have been deployed at Guwahati, Dhubri, Lakhimpur, Tezpur and Dhemaji for rescue and relief operations. The breach in National Highway 52 caused due to floods in Dhemaji has been restored for vehicular traffic.