Peoples sit on a makeshift boat to cross the flood-affected area of Sakha Maidan following heavy monsoon rainfall, in Patna, Sunday, Sept. 29, 2019. (PTI)
Battered by heavy rainfall for the past 48 hours in 3 districts of Bihar, at least 29 people have died in the state due to mishaps caused by the downpour, according to news agency ANI. The state capital Patna continued to be among the worst affected with four-to six-feet-deep waterlogging in several areas Monday. Deputy Chief Minister Sushil Modi, who was stranded at his Patna residence, had to be rescued by NDRF.
Officials say the state capital has not witnessed such waterlogging since the 1975 floods. The Bihar government has also asked two helicopters from Air Force for lifting and airdropping food packets and medicines. The Patna district administration has ordered the closure of all schools till Tuesday.
NDRF and SDRF are conducting relief operations in low-lying areas of the state capital. The water-logging has severely affected one of Patna’s leading government hospitals, Nalanda Medical College and Hospital (NMCH). Several trains and flights have been cancelled, rescheduled or diverted owing to the situation.
As many as 35 people lost their lives in Uttar Pradesh since Friday. (Express file photo)
Highlights
Earlier today, a chopper of the Indian Air Force arrived in the city by noon, upon request from the state government, and commenced air-dropping of food and other relief material to people living in low-lying areas where water level is said to be several feet deep.
Several parts of Bihar and Uttar Pradesh were on Monday reeling from floods following incessant showers over the past few days, with the death toll in rain-related incidents mounting to 145 in the country.
The highest number of deaths 111 were reported from Uttar Pradesh and 25 from Bihar since last week, news agency PTI reported.
Spoke to Bihar CM @NitishKumar Ji regarding the flood situation in parts of the state. Agencies are working with local administration to assist the affected. Centre stands ready to provide all possible further assistance that may be required.
State and National Disaster Response Forces rescue people and distribute relief materials in flood affected Patna.
As the flood situation worsened in Bihar, Union minister Ashwini Choubey on Monday said it was a "natural calamity" and blamed a particular constellation for the heavy downpour.
"The downpour, which has been lashing Bihar for the past few days, is because of the Hathiya Nakshatra (constellation), during which sometimes there is a very heavy rainfall. The rains have now taken the form of a natural disaster," Choubey was quoted as saying by news agency PTI.
Several parts of Bihar and Uttar Pradesh were on Monday reeling from floods following incessant showers over the past few days, with the death toll in rain-related incidents mounting to 134 in the country.
The weather department has forecast a long delayed withdrawal of Monsoon and more rains for Patna, where several areas still remain submerged due to heavy rainfall over the past three days.
The Bihar disaster management department said the state government has urged the air force to send a helicopter for air-dropping of food packets and other relief material in the marooned areas. (PTI)
Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar Monday conducted an aerial survey of flood-affected areas, news agency PTI reported.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Monday said the situation due to the Bihar floods had gone out of hand and appealed to the party workers to immediately join the relief-and-rescue efforts to help the affected people.
Bihar Battered by heavy rainfall for the past 48 hours yet again this monsoon season, as the water level in the Ganga and other rivers, surged after heavy rainfall continued to lash the region.
Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and Deputy CM Sushil Modi hold meeting with officials of flood affected districts via video conferencing.
"The situation is unprecedented,it's almost like a cloud burst. Impact is mainly due to water logging. Out of 19 NDRF teams deployed, 5 are in Patna. We've evacuated about 4,000 citizens since morning," SN Pradhan, DG of National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) said on Patna floods.
Water enters Jakkanpur Police Station in Patna due to flooding in the city.
"Due to the bad weather conditions and the unfavourable situation in Patna, we are providing a full fee waiver on rescheduling/cancellation for all flights to/from Patna. Reach out to us on Twitter, FB or call us at 18602100999 for assistance," the airlines said in a tweet.
"People are facing difficulties due to water-logging here. We are distributing the relief material to people. Five teams of NDRF have been deployed in Rajendra Nagar and Kankarbagh areas of Patna," Kumar Balchand, Deputy Commandant, NDRF was quoted as saying by news agency ANI.
People move to safer places on JCB machines and tractors in Kankarbagh area of Patna.
Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Sushil Modi, who was stranded at his residence in Patna, rescued by National and State Disaster Response Forces personnel.
Inmates of Ballia Jail are being shifted to different jails after flood water entered barracks following heavy rainfall in the region. Additional District Magistrate Ram Asrey said, "Around 500 inmates are being sent to Azamgarh Jail and others are shifted to Ambedkar Nagar Jail."
Flood waters have entered the barracks of the district jail located near the River Ganga here, prompting authorities to shift 900 prisoners, a senior official said on Monday. Heavy rains have battered many areas of Uttar Pradesh and led to flooding in low-lying areas. Of the 900 prisoners, 500 are being shifted to Azamgarh Jail and remaining to Ambedkarnagar, Additional District Magistrate, Ballia, Ram Asrey said.