Prejudice blamed for slow governmental response to flooding in Bihar region

The flood situation in Bihar's Supaul, Madhepura, Araria and Saharsa districts on Wednesday eased a little further with the discharge in the Kosi river, which has played havoc after changing course, coming down marginally.

However, fresh areas were inundated in Purnia district, one of the worst-hit by the deluge, as several panchayats were submerged in Naugachia sub-division of Bhagalpur district where the Kosi breached its embankment near Dhodia village on Wednesday morning.

According to water resources department sources, the discharge in Kosi from Barahkshetra in Nepal was 1.11 lakh cusecs at noon, marginally less than 1.18 lakh cusecs on Tuesday.

Water is receding in various blocks of Birpur subdivision in Supaul district as also in Madhepura, parts of Saharsa and Araria districts, the sources said.

Meanwhile, nearly 5000 army, navy and air force personnel continued to evacuate the marooned and reach them relief.

Sources in the disaster management department said 30 army columns comprising about 3360 men with 300 motorboats, four navy columns consisting of 180 personnel and 12 boats and 635 personnel of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) were assisting the state administration in the rescue and relief operation.

Ten IAF helicopters pressed into service have together airdropped 69,192 food packets so far, while 1,39,485 packets were reached to those marooned through boats apart from the cooked food being served at relief camps.

So far over 6.48 lakh people have been evacuated to safe places, of whom, more than 2.52 lakh are taking shelter in the 257 relief camps set up by the government.