Villagers at a relief camp after their evacuation at Supaul district in Bihar August 3, 2014. (Reuters)
The flood situation in Bihar was under control as no new area has been inundated and rivers are showing receding trend, a senior official of the Disaster Management Department (DMD) said on Thursday.
"The situation is under control as no new area has been inundated and rivers are showing a receding trend," DMD Principal Secretary Vyasji said.
Altogether 16 people have died in floods, which have ravaged 14 districts in the state, affecting over 16 lakh people and one lakh animals spread over 1,246 villages since Saturday, he said.
The death toll may, however, rise once information from the inundated areas start reaching the district headquarters, he said.
Mr Vyasji pointed that the number of affected people has increased by two lakh since yesterday as extensive reports came from the districts.
Nalanda, Darbhanga, Saharsa, Sheikhpura, Supaul, West Champaran, Madhubani, Muzaffarpur, Sitamarhi, Patna, Sheohar, Araria, Gopalganj and Khagaria districts have been hit by floods this time.
Over 1.16 lakh people have been evacuated so far, of whom 49,000 were staying at 133 government-run relief camps.
Altogether 1,129 boats including 47 motorboats have been pressed into relief and rescue operations which is being assisted by 12 teams of National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and five teams of State Disaster Response Force (SDRF).
The floods have affected over two lakh hectare of agricultural land, including one lakh hectare of cropped land. The estimated crop damage is worth Rs 56.4 crore, according the DMD.
"We are right now focusing on food grain distribution among the affected people. Once the water recedes we will start providing agriculture input subsidy, as well as, grants for the repair of damaged houses," Vyasji said.