The Hindu : Front Page : Flood toll mounts to 260 in Bihar

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Monday, Aug 13, 2007
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Flood toll mounts to 260 in Bihar

Special Correspondent

National highway in Khagaria is under two feet of water

— Photos: PTI

DIE-HARD READERS: The flood waters around them do not seem to deter these residents of Khagaria in Bihar from newspaper browsing.

PATNA: One person was killed in a police lathi-charge on relief seekers in Saharsa district on Sunday, even as a breach on National Highway 31 in Khagaria disconnected the entire-north east from most parts of the country. The death toll in floods in the State stood at 260 on Sunday.

The police lathi-charged those who had gathered at the Sonbarsa block office to collect relief materials. The officer-in-charge of the police station has been suspended.

With the turbulent Kosi breaking open a crack in the highway, the Khagaria district authorities have suspended movement of vehicles. The highway is under two feet of water. Movement of trucks from north-east carrying cash crop has been affected.

Swept away

Five women were swept away while taking bath in the swollen Ganga River in Begusarai. Three bodies were recovered.

Protesting the poor relief operation, the State unit of the CPI has decided to hold protest rallies at the block level on August 21 and at the district level on September 1.

— Photos: PTI

With the flood situation showing no signs of improvement, this group in Khagaria district is migrating in search of a safer place on Sunday.

BJP president Rajnath Singh and JD(U) president Sharad Yadav undertook a joint aerial survey of four flood-affected districts and sought the cooperation of all political parties, eschewing differences, in providing relief. They urged the Centre to send a team to assess the damage and provide a special package to cope with the situation.

Killing condemned

The two leaders condemned the killing of Hindi-speaking people belonging to Bihar in Assam demanded that the Centre take stern measures to put down such incidents with an iron hand. Such acts threatened the unity and integrity of the country, they said. The NDA has decided to send a parliamentary committee to take stock of the situation there.

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