Patna, Sept 15:
More than 49 lakh people in 15 districts of Bihar have been affected by floods as rivers continued to swell following heavy rainfall in the State and their catchment areas in Nepal.
According to the Disaster Management Department, around 49.36 lakh people have been affected across Patna, Bhojpur, Saran, Vaishali, Bhagalpur, Begusarai, Buxar, Samastipur, Munger, Katihar, Lakhisarai, Khagaria, Purnea, Madhepura and Araria districts.
The Ganga and several other rivers, including the Kosi, Budhi Gandak, Bagmati, Punpun and Ghaghara, were flowing above danger levels at several locations. The Ganga was recorded at 36.21 metres at Sultanganj in Bhagalpur, 1.71 metres above the danger mark.
The administration has opened 1,260 community kitchens and 13 relief camps, providing food, accommodation and medical assistance. Twenty-seven State Disaster Response Force teams and 10 National Disaster Response Force teams have been deployed for relief and rescue operations.