Rajnath Singh conducts aerial survey of Bihar's storm-hit areas, death toll at 57

Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Friday afternoon arrived in Purnia district of Bihar to conduct aerial survey of areas affected by storm, which led to the death of at least 55 people.

Pic Courtesy: ANI

Patna: Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Friday afternoon arrived in Purnia district of Bihar to conduct aerial survey of areas affected by storm, which led to the death of at least 57 people.

He was accompanied by Union Agriculture Minister Radha Mohan Singh, Union Minister for Communication and Information Technology Ravi Shankar Prasad and senior BJP leader Sushil Kumar Modi.

We have conducted aerial survey of areas affected by cyclone today, there has been a lot of damage to crops and houses, the Home Minister was quoted as saying by ANI.

We are satisfied to see that Bihar CM Nitish Kumar has provided immediate relief and announced compensation of 4 lakh to families of deceased, Singh said, adding, “I and Nitish ji have decided, after assessing the damage in all affected areas, that Bihar govt will give a memorandum to Centre.”

Singh, however, conclude by saying, “I assure that all possible assistance will be provided by the Centre to the Bihar government.”

The central team will also meet people affected by the storm in the worst hit Purnia district, which suffered the loss of 38 lives.

Singh yesterday spoke to Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and took stock of the situation in the storm-ravaged districts of the state.

During the telephonic conversation, the Home Minister assured the state of all possible help to deal with the situation. The Bihar Chief Minister apprised the Home Minister about the situation after the storm hit the state. Kumar also told Singh that he has visited the storm-hit areas to take stock of the situation.

The toll in the killer Nor'wester in Bihar rose to 57 with one more person dying today in the worst-hit Purnea district even as an alert has been sounded for north-eastern regions of the state about possibility of a thunder squall and rains.

As per the latest report compiled by the state Disaster Management department, Purnea bore the brunt of the Nor'wester with a maximum of 38 deaths.