40 dead, 9 injured as floods wreak havoc in Bihar; PM Narendra Modi dials CM Nitish Kumar

Image courtesy: ANI

New Delhi: Floods situation in Bihar due to incessant rains since the past four days remain grim across the state. The death toll due to the floods reached 40 on Tuesday. Nine people have been injured so far. The situation has paralysed normal life. Several trains have been cancelled, schools and colleges have been shut and also, a red alert has been issued in close to 14 districts across Bihar. 

On Monday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke to Chief Minister Nitish Kumar to discuss the flood situation in Bihar and said that the central government will provide all possible assistance.

"Spoke to Bihar CM Nitish Kumar 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," PM Modi tweeted.

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.

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) September 30, 2019

The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) has predicted that heavy rains in six district in the next 24 hours. 

About 18 teams of National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF) and State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF) have been constituted to carry out rescue operations in Bihar 

Around seven thousand people were left stranded after the embankment of Koshi river at Maheshpur broke down due to a rise in the water level of the river. 

CM Nitish Kumar has meanwhile instructed to put up camps for three days in the parts of state severely affected by floods. He also conducted an aerial survey of flood-affected areas on Monday,

In Patna, the capital city, which is worst-affected, six NDRF teams and two NDRF teams are carrying out the rescue operations. Food packets, drinking water and milk were distributed by them to the flood victims. As per reports, Patna will receive more rainfall for the next few days accompanied by thunderstorms. 

In the face of the calamity, the Bihar government issued emergency helpline numbers, which are as follows: 

Rajendra Nagar: 9006192686
Patna City: 7903331869, 8340582547
Kadamkuan: 8210286544, 9431295882
NDRF: 8541908006
SDRF: 9801598289
Kankarbagh: 6203674823

An Indian Air Force (IAF) helicopter also distributed all necessary items to the residents and the same will be continued on Tuesday. 

For draining out water, three dewatering pumps are being brought in from Bilaspur, Chhattisgarh. The pumps are expected to reach Patna by Tuesday.