Bihar floods: Death toll jumps to 56; several rail services cancelled

Patna: The death toll in Bihar flood has risen to 56 as 69.81 lakh people have been hit by inundation in 13 districts of the state and Chief Minister Nitish Kumar made his second aerial survey of flood-hit areas on Tuesday.Special secretary in the state disaster management department Anirudh Kumar said Araria accounted for 20 flood deaths, West Champaran - 9, Kisanganj - 8, Sitamarhi - 5, Madhepura - 4, East Champaran, Darbhanga, and Madhubani - 3 each and Sheohar - 1.He said 69.81 lakh people are in the grip of floods which has engulfed 98 blocks and 1,070 panchayats in the state.[caption id="attachment_3934453" align="alignleft" width="300"]

Representational image. Reuters[/caption]The number of affected districts went up to 13 with Muzaffarpur being the latest addition. Flood waters submerged the district on Tuesday.The special secretary said 1.61 lakh people have been evacuated and taken to safer places. Out of them, 85,949 have been put up in 343 relief camps in different places.The chief minister made his second aerial survey of flood-hit areas since Monday. Accompanied by Chief Secretary Anjani Kumar Singh, he surveyed Darbhanga and other regions.Earlier on Tuesday, addressing the Independence program, he expressed concern over the 'grim flood situation' and assured the victims that the government would do everything to ensure relief and rescue operations.The flood situation caused by incessant rains in Nepal and some districts of north Bihar is grim. The rivers in north Bihar are flowing above the danger level and have caused immense loss and damage, he said.The government will leave no stone unturned to help the flood victims, Kumar said and thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi for promptly sending the NDRF and Army to the affected areas.Principal Secretary of Disaster Management department Pratyay Amrit made another aerial survey of the flood-hit areas.

Amrit, who has been coordinating relief and rehabilitation operation round-the-clock, said that community kitchen has been started in camps for flood victims.East Central Railway (ECR) chief public relations officer Rajesh Kumar said that no train is going beyond Katihar towards the north east as flood waters have inundated the railway tracks.A report from Katihar said that railway bridge number 133 in Barsoi-Kisanganj section of Katihar division of North East Frontier Railway has been badly damaged in flood.Soil under the track of the bridge has caved in, it said.The ECR CPRO said that along with cancellation of 33 trains on Monday, Demu service between Samastipur and Raxual and the Gaya-Kamakhya Express were canceled on Tuesday due to the floods.