Journalism of Courage
As Patna and 12 other districts of Bihar continued to face a flood-like situation following heavy rainfall over the past couple of days, the state disaster management authority on Monday stated that 40 people have been killed in rain-related incidents in the last few days.
The state received 370 mm rainfall between Saturday morning and Monday morning.
Patna continued to remain waterlogged on Monday. However, there has been a let up in rainfall with the state capital receiving 91 mm of rain in the past 24 hours.
Follow live updates on the Bihar floods
According to officials of the India Meteorological Department, seven districts in the state are expected to get nil to heavy rainfall in the next 24 hours.
Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Monday conducted an aerial survey of Patna and other affected areas and conducted a review meting later.
Deputy Chief Minister Sushil Kumar Modi, renowned folk singer Sharda Sinha and Addl DGP (civil defence) Kundan Krishnan were among those rescued on Monday.
The Deputy Chief Minister was rescued by the Patna administration from his Rajinder Nagar house. He was seen wading through chest-deep water in the first floor of his house to get on an NDRF boat. He did not take questions from the media and left for his official residence.
Sinha and her family members were evacuated after the folk singer took to Facebook to appeal for help.
Low-lying areas like Rajinder Nagar, Kankerbagh and Kumhrar are still waterlogged and most people are not ready to leave their homes for fear of theft. The state government on Monday arranged to air-drop food packets and medicines from two IAF helicopters in these areas. About 50 NDRF and SDRF teams are engaged in rescue work. At several places in the state capital, power lines are snapped and there is no water supply.
Awkash Kumar from Vishwakarma Nagar of Kumhrar said, “Thirteen members of my family are living in one room. After three days, I came out to buy food items and candles. We cannot leave the homes vacant as thieves are moving around. We cannot depend on the government. Two choppers cannot provide food to 10 lakh affected people in low-lying areas.”
Vinay Kumar, a psychiatrist who lives near Kankerbagh, said the situation is worse than the 1975 floods. Kankerbagh residents blamed Patna Municipal Corporation for not cleaning major nullahs. With the water level in the Ganga not receding much despite the opening of all gates of Farakka Barrage, the low-lying areas might remain waterlogged for a week.
Medical services have been affected at the state-run Nalanda Medical College and Hospital and over 50 private hospitals in Kankerbagh and Rajinder Nagar.
Over a dozen trains have been cancelled or rescheduled and the road to the airport remains waterlogged.
