The death toll in rain-related incidents in Bihar soared to 73 on Thursday, even as forces involved in relief and rescue operations fished out rotting corpses from waterlogged areas in several places. The torrential rain that took place between September 27 and September 30 has created a flood-like situation in 15 districts of the State, including the capital.
The State Disaster Management Force (SDRF) said that the death toll takes into account loss of lives caused by drowning, wall collapses, trees crushing people to death, and the electrocution of people trapped in waterlogged areas. It could not provide a district-wise break-up.
Worst affected
Bhagalpur, where the district administration has confirmed as many as 12 casualties, may be the worst affected.
In Patna, normal life has come to a grinding halt in many parts of the city, notwithstanding efforts being made by the district administration, along with the National Disaster Response Force and the SDRF, to replenish stocks of food, medicines and drinking water for stranded citizens.
Banks, shops, private hospitals and coaching institutes, which abound in Kankar Bagh, Rajendra Nagar and Pataliputra Colony, the worst-affected sections, have been closed for a week. The last time they could conduct normal business was on Friday, when the downpour began late in the evening and continued over the next couple of days.
Heavy duty pumps have been brought in from Chhattisgarh to flush out the water with greater speed. Many localities have been rid of inundation.
Complaints are flooding helplines set up by the district administration, and its WhatsApp group, with assurances from District Magistrate Kumar Ravi that remedial measures will be taken.
‘Beyond Patna’
Bharatiya Janata Party MP Ram Kripal Yadav, who on Wednesday night fell into a shallow river while trying to reach a waterlogged area in rural Patna, alleged, “It seems the Patna administration cannot look beyond Kankarbagh and Rajendra Nagar. Waterlogging has been there in Danapur but nobody seems to notice.”
Many have pitched in to help. In one instance, 13-year-old girl Siddhi Shreya came all the way from Samastipur to donate ₹11,000 she had collected over the years, for flood relief. The money was received by former MP Rajesh Ranjan alias Pappu Yadav, who has earned plaudits for his flood relief efforts in the past few days.
