Bihar: Floods leave people displaced in Hajipur, damage crops in Saran

While in Hajipur people have moved to higher altitudes along with their cattle and family making it difficult for them to survive, floodwaters have damaged crops in Saran leaving farmers in huge losses and debts.

New Delhi: Thousands of people in over 26 districts have been affected by floods, caused by incessant rainfall, in Bihar’s Hajipur and Saran. The situation remains grim as houses and agricultural fields have been inundated by the floodwaters. 

The authorities have moved locals from the flood-affected areas to higher altitudes along with their cattle and family. However, the flood situation has made it difficult for the locals to survive as floodwaters have damaged crops in Saran leaving farmers in huge losses and debts.

Indu Devi, a local in Hajipur, told ANI, "We had to leave our houses because floods inundated them. We came up with family, children and cattle but survival is tough. Sometimes we get food, many times we have to go hungry."

"Floods in the Ganga river have inundated our homes till waist level. So we came at a high altitude along with family and cattle. The government provides us with food between 12 to 2 pm. We are facing difficulty in feeding our cattle," said another flood victim.

Another local said, "It is very difficult for us to survive. We have been staying here for the past 9-10 days because floods have inundated our homes. We get meals very late in the day and hardly get any fodder for the cattle." 

"Since the time floods inundated our homes, we have received no help from the government. Earlier the level of floodwater was much higher. Now it has gone a bit down. But the situation is very bad. We are struggling to perform our daily chores. Our daily lives have been affected very badly," added another flood victim.

Satish Kumar Singh, a local of Saran said, "There was a lot of water initially. Schools, hospitals, temples were completed immersed in floodwater. Now the water levels have gone down. But the situation is bad. All the crops we had sown have been destroyed by the floodwater. We have received no help from the government yet. We were told that the government will sent aid to the flood victims but have received no help as yet."

"These floods have left the farmers devastated. Whatever crops they had sown after taking loans, have been destroyed. Farmers are facing huge losses due to crop damage," said Kundan Patel," another Saran local.

"We have been facing a lot of difficulties due to floods. All my crops have been damaged. Survival has become very difficult. We are facing problems in feeding family and cattle," added Ravinder Mahato, a flood victim in Saran.

Earlier, on August 18, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar conducted an aerial survey and took stock of flood-affected regions of Khagaria and Bhagalpur. Over 26 districts in the state have been affected by floods due to incessant rainfall this year. 

(With ANI inputs)