OdishaPlus Bureau

The floods in Bihar have affected more than15 lakh people in the state. Rivers such as Ganga, Bagmati, Budhi, Gandak, Kamala Balan, Mahananda and Ghaghra have been flowing above the danger mark.

The water resources department report said the water level of Kosi, near Veerpur barrage, rose from 1.55 lakh cusec at 6 am on Monday to 1.62 lakh cusec at 8 am. The Gandak river was flowing at 1.89 lakh cusec at the Balmikinagar barrage at 6 am, which reached 2.9 million cusecs at 8 am.

Disaster management additional secretary Ramchandra Doo said the disaster management department has been alert and undertaking rescue and relief operations in view of the increased water level of various rivers in Bihar. Due to the increased water level of rivers, 625 panchayats in 86 blocks across 11 districts of Bihar have been inundated and affected nearly 1.5 million people.

He claimed that nearly 14,011 people are staying in 26 relief camps. 463 community kitchens are being run in the flood-affected areas. He also informed that NDRF and SDRF teams are engaged in relief and rescue operations in all inundated areas. Food packets are dropped by helicopters for flood-affected people.