With six more deaths, the toll in Bihar floods on Tuesday rose to 165, even as the swollen Ganga, whose water level started showing a receding trend, has affected 37.53 lakh people in 12 districts of the state.
The six deaths have been reported from Bhojpur district, a statement by the Disaster Management Department said.
The flood has been caused mainly by a spate in river Ganga apart from Sone, Punpun, Burhi Gandak, Ghaghra, Kosi and other rivers which have affected 37.53 lakh people in 2,029 villages under 576 panchayats of 74 blocks of 12 districts in the state, it said.
Ganga, though showing a receding trend, is still flowing above the danger mark at seven places - Digha Ghat, Gandhi Ghat, Hathidah in Patna, Bhagalpur and Kahalgaon in Bhagalpur district and in Munger as well as in Buxar districts.
The receding trend was witnessed at Gandhi Ghat and Digha Ghat, thus reducing the threat of flood waters entering the Patna town.
A total of 7.15 lakh people have been evacuated so far from the 12 flood-affected districts of Buxar, Bhojpur, Patna, Vaishali, Saran, Begusarai, Samastipur, Lakhisarai, Khagaria, Munger, Bhagalpur and Katihar, the statement said.
The government is plying 2,818 boats for evacuation and national and state disaster response forces have already been deployed in the affected districts.