Bihar flood toll touches 440; Assam situation improves

New Delhi: Bihar continued to reel under floods with the toll mounting to 440 and 1.71 crore people still affected, while the situation in Assam has improved.

Araria district accounted for 95 deaths followed by Sitamarhi (46) and Katihar (40).

The flood waters, however, have receded in some places, prompting many to return to their homes. The number of relief camps also dropped to 262, in which 1.65 lakh people were staying, a release by disaster management department said.

A total of 28 National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) teams comprising 1,152 personnel with 118 boats are taking part in rescue and relief operations, it said.

Apart from the NDRF, 16 teams of the State Disaster Response Force comprising 466 personnel are helping people in the flood-hit areas. A total of 630 Army personnel are assisting in relief and rescue operations with 70 boats, the release said.

The flood situation in Assam however improved as 2.03 lakh people in six districts were affected by the deluge against Friday's 2.67 lakh flood-hit people in seven districts.

However, one more death was reported in the state taking the toll in the latest wave of flood to 73. In total, 156 people have died in this year's flood-related incidents in the state.

The waters of only the Dhansiri river was flowing above the danger mark at Numaligarh in Golaghat.

According to a report by Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA) Dhemaji, Barpeta, Chirang, Morigaon, Nagaon and Jorhat are still flood-hit.

Currently, 408 villages are under water and more than 31,000 hectares of crop areas are inundated, the ASDMA said, adding authorities are running 94 relief camps in three districts, where 24,785 people have taken shelter.

Landslides triggered by incessant rains snapped road links in Manipur and Mizoram.