In Bihar, flood fury unabated, 60 dead

The overall flood situation in 16 North Bihar districts continued to be grim as swollen rivers engulfed fresh areas on Friday and the death toll mounted to 60, with six more deaths reported from Sitamarhi and Muzaffarpur districts in the last 24 hours.

Railway Minister Laloo Prasad left for an aerial survey of the flood-ravaged districts on his arrival from New Delhi in the morning. He is accompanied by Union Minister of State M.A. Fatmi, RJD MP Devendra Prasad Yadav and Bihar Irrigation Minister Jagdanand Singh, official sources said.

A report from Darbhanga, one of the three districts to be cut off from the rest of the country for the sixth day today, said an IAF chopper evacuated 15 stranded students of Darbhanga Medical College and Hospital (DMCH) during the day. — (PTI)