Bihar floods: Ebbing waters reveal damage, 216 dead

The floods have affected 40.60 lakh people in 2,210 villages,  The final assessment of damage to agricultural lands and crops is ongoing. 

Three more deaths were reported from Bihar, where receding waters are laying bare the trail of destruction caused by the floods. 

The toll in the Bihar floods increased to 216 yesterday, though the situation appears to be easing with a majority of the rivers, including the Ganga, now flowing below their danger marks. 

Three fresh deaths were reported from Saran district yesterday, a Disaster Management Department statement said. 

Officials said five concrete houses have collapsed, while 466 kucha homes were washed away and 2774 huts were destroyed by the surging waters. 

A total 135 cattle have died so far while assessment of damage to agricultural lands and crops is ongoing. 

The floods have affected 40.60 lakh people in 2,210 villages in 12 districts and have forced the shifting of 3.95 lakh people. 

The government has deployed 3,082 boats for evacuation, while national and state disaster response teams are working in the affected districts. 

According to Water Resources Department, Punpun River at Sripalpur in Patna, Kamlabalan River at Jhanjharpur and Kosi River at Baltara in Khagaria district were flowing above their danger levels. 

But other rivers, including the Ganga, were flowing below the danger mark, the release said. 

Meanwhile, light to moderate rainfall occurred at a few places in the state, and torrential rains were recorded at one or two places in Lakhisarai and Begusarai districts.