PATNA: The Bihar government has stepped up relief and rescue operations in flood-hit areas as the situation remains grave following heavy rainfall in Nepal and the release of large volumes of water from the Gandak barrage, affecting six districts.
Around 4.93 lakh people have been affected in West Champaran, East Champaran, Gopalganj, Saran, Muzaffarpur and Darbhanga. Major rivers, including the Ganga, Gandak and Kosi, are flowing above the danger mark at several locations.
Bihar Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary has directed the disaster management department to ensure that relief materials reach flood-hit people in Saran district. IAF helicopters are airdropping supplies, while Choudhary is monitoring relief and rescue operations from his office.
According to the Chief Minister's Office, more than 28 tonnes of food supplies, comprising over 5,600 dry packets, have been airdropped in flood-affected areas of Saran. Supplies have also been dropped in remote villages surrounded by floodwaters.
The IAF helicopters are also evacuating people from affected villages to safer locations. Officials in the affected districts have been asked to intensify night patrolling along embankments following breaches at several locations.
Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Kumar Chaudhary, who also holds the water resources portfolio, said exceptionally heavy rainfall in Nepal had pushed the Gandak river to record levels. Recent satellite data, he said, showed the extent of flooding in Bihar.
Citing a NASA Earth Observatory report, Chaudhary said heavy rain between September 24 and 27 in Nepal’s mountainous Lumbini and Gandaki provinces had triggered landslides and caused the Gandak, known as the Narayani in Nepal, to swell to record levels in several areas.
Transgender community members distribute relief material
Meanwhile, members of the transgender community have joined voluntary organisations distributing relief materials to flood-affected families taking shelter on embankments in West Champaran, where the swollen Gandak has displaced hundreds of people.
With floodwaters entering their homes, hundreds of families have taken shelter on the Champaran embankment and other raised structures in Nautan block. Several families are spending their days and nights in temporary tents. The floods have destroyed homes and deprived families of their livelihoods, adding to their hardships.
Members of the transgender community, identified as Khushi Kinnar, Krishna Kinnar and Panditain Kinnar, distributed relief materials at the Bankatwa and Mangalpur embankments in Nautan and interacted with affected families.
“We visit these families during celebrations and receive a lot from them. Now that they are facing hardship, it is our responsibility to help them,” Khushi Kinnar said.
Krishna Kinnar said helping people in distress was a shared responsibility, irrespective of caste, religion or community.