Bihar Floods: Death Toll Reaches 42; Orange Alert Issued In Patna, Other Districts For 2 Days

Five teams of the NDRF are operational in Patna, two are deployed in Bhagalpur and one team each in Buxar, Munger, Begusarai, Gopalganj, Kishanganj, Katihar, Khagaria, Madhubani, Supaul, Vaishali, Araria, and Darbhanga.

Patna: National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) workers rescue people from flood-affected Rajendra Nagar area after heavy rains, in Patna,. (Image: PTI)

Patna: As death toll in the devastating Bihar floods has reached to 42 leaving over 17 lakh people affected across different districts in the state, the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) on Wednesday issued an orange alert in Patna, Vaishali, Begusarai and Khagaria districts of Bihar for October 3 and 4. Orange warning by weather departments stands for 'Alert' and authorities are expected to 'Be prepared'. The forecast during an Orange warning is of heavy to very heavy rainfall. The warning by IMD means that heavy downpour is likely to continue in the state and add woes to residents who are battling with floods caused due to a large-scale inundation from September 27. According to reports, the Centre has dispatched 20 teams of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and pressed into service Indian Air Force helicopters to help flood-hit people in Bihar. Water-logging has also led to the inundation of many power sub-stations forcing people to live without electricity for the past few days. Bihar deputy chief minister Sushil Modi and his family were rescued on Monday, three days after being stuck at their home in Patna due to widespread flooding. 42 Killed And Lakhs Injured According to state disaster management department, at least 42 people have lost their lives till Wednesday from areas which are severely hit by a torrential spell of downpour.  Official statement also revealed that the total number of people affected by the devastating rainfall were around 17.09 lakh. The districts hit by heavy downpour and floods include Patna, Bhojpur, Bhagalpur, Khagaria, Samastipur, Begusarai, Lakhisarai and Vaishali situated on either side of the Ganga. Apart from these, Arwal, Nawada, Nalanda, parts of Darbhanga, Katihar were also affected by the rains. Rescue Operations And Relief Work By Central And State Government The National Crisis Management Committee (NCMC) headed by Cabinet Secretary Rajiv Gauba on Tuesday reviewed the flood situation in Bihar, where 16 districts have been affected by the deluge. Twenty teams of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), comprising about 900 rescue persons, have been deployed in the state. According to an official statement by a home ministry official to news agency PTI, six of the teams were deployed in capital Patna, which has witnessed very heavy rains and water logging over the past three days. Two helicopters of the Indian Air Force were also deployed in rescue and relief operations. The Bihar government has informed the NCMC that due to extremely heavy rainfall in the state, along with high levels of water in the rivers, there has been flooding in 16 districts. Extensive evacuation, rescue and relief efforts have been undertaken by the state government machinery, in which all assistance has been rendered by the NDRF and other central agencies, the official said. Four heavy duty pumps, made available by the Ministry of Coal were sent to Patna and the pumps would be used to drain out about 3,000 gallons of water per minute from water logged areas. Essential supplies of food and drinking water are being supplied by the state government and efforts are on for restoration of electricity in flood affected areas. The IMD has stated that while there has been very heavy rainfall in Bihar over the past few days, the situation is improving now. Prime Minister Narendra Modi On Bihar Floods:

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

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar On Bihar Floods:

नदियों के जलस्तर में हुई वृद्धि के पश्चात प्रभावित क्षेत्रों का हवाई सर्वेक्षण करते हुए। https://t.co/aSpS8rzUSL pic.twitter.com/A7xbc9LBLT

— Nitish Kumar (@NitishKumar) September 20, 2019

RJD Leader Tejashwi Yadav On Bihar Floods:

What Bihar is suffering from & what has shocked the nation is not a natural disaster but Nitish govt made calamity or we can say One man invited calamity.

After (mis)rule of 14 yrs Can a CM, worth any shame, blame weather or हथिया नक्षत्र for complete absence of drainage system? — Tejashwi Yadav (@yadavtejashwi) September 30, 2019

Congress Leader Rahul Gandhi On Bihar Floods:

#BiharFlood से हालात बेकाबू हो गए हैं और कई लोगों की मौत के समाचार हैं।

जान गंवाने वाले लोगों के परिजनों के प्रति अपनी संवेदना व्यक्त करता हूं और कांग्रेस कार्यकर्ताओं से अपील करता हूं कि वे प्रभावित लोगों के राहत और बचाव कार्य में तत्काल जुट जाएं।https://t.co/fENamcnzsR — Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) September 30, 2019

BJP Leader Ravi Shankar Prasad On Bihar Floods:

पटना के कंकड़बाग क्षेत्र में जा कर जल निकासी और राहत के लिए किए जा रहे कार्यों का जायज़ा लिया। कई क्षेत्रों में अभी भी पानी जमा होने से दिक़्क़त आ रही है। धैर्य के साथ सबको मिल कर काम करना है।#patnaflood pic.twitter.com/dsFQ0aBZu6

— Ravi Shankar Prasad (@rsprasad) October 2, 2019

According to reports, PM Modi has assured Nitish of "all possible help" by the Centre to tackle the flood situation, in a telephonic conversation on Monday. According to PTI, people in several areas stood on the terraces or roofs of their houses, trying to catch packets that were dropped by the helicopter or hurled at them from boats ferried by the NDRF and the SDRF. Besides Patna, districts like Hazipur, Bhagalpur, Saran, Muzaffarpur, Darbhanga, and Vaishali have also been badly affected. On Sunday, three people were killed after a wall collapsed in Bhagalpur district. News agency ANI reported that five teams of the NDRF are operational in Patna, two are deployed in Bhagalpur and one team each in Buxar, Munger, Begusarai, Gopalganj, Kishanganj, Katihar, Khagaria, Madhubani, Supaul, Vaishali, Araria, and Darbhanga. (With inputs from agencies)