Patna, July 26: Floods in Bihar claimed the lives of 46 people and are affecting four million, officials and media reports said on Friday. Four of the dead Thursday drowned while trying to loot relief supplies airdropped by an army helicopter, an official said.


They included two girls, a minor and a 14-year-old, the official said. Local media said a boat carrying 35 people had capsized in the strong currents of Koshi river in Supaul district, 400 km northeast of Patna.


At least 30 people were feared dead as only five were able to swim to safety.


In another accident, seven people were reported to have been swept away by the surging waters near Kamrauli village, 250 km from Patna, while five people drowned in Sitamarhi district, newspapers quoting witnesses said. Authorities have blamed the overloading of boats as a cause for the large number of casualties. "A large number of private and commercial boats plying in thousands all over the flood affected parts are illegal, without valid government licenses," a local official said. "They are usually makeshift boats and often, in the urge to make a fast buck, the boatmen load them beyond capacity causing them to turn turtle," he said.

Bihar's relief and rehabilitation minister, Ramvichar Rai, said more than four million people in 14 districts have been affected by the floods. "Standing crops in 12,200 hectares have been affected and a total of 728 houses have collapsed in floods," he said. Twenty other people died earlier this week from flooding in Bihar, including 17 who drowned Wednesday when their boat capsized. Bureau Report