Bihar flood situation improves, dry weather in north India

The flood situation in Bihar showed signs of improvement and no death was reported on Sunday, while most places of north India witnessed dry weather, even as a low pressure area has formed over Bay of Bengal.

With no fresh death reported in Bihar, the toll due to floods stood at 198, while the situation showed signs of improvement as the number of affected people was around 40 lakh from yesterday’s 41.90 lakh in 12 districts.

The floods have been caused mainly by the swollen Ganga, apart from other rain-fed rivers like Sone, Punpun, Burhi Gandak, Ghaghra and Kosi. Seven lakh people have been evacuated so far, a release by the Disaster Management Department said.

According to the Water Resources Department, the Ganga is receding at Digha Ghat, Gandhi Ghat and Hathidah in Patna and in districts of Buxar, Munger and Bhagalpur, but is still flowing above the danger mark at Kahalgaon in Bhagalpur district.

The national capital witnessed a cloudy day, with the minimum temperature recorded at 25.5 degrees Celsius, a notch below the season’s average. The maximum temperature was recorded at 34.5 degrees Celsius, while humidity was at 57 per cent.

Due to formation of a low pressure area over the Bay of Bengal today, heavy to very heavy rainfall coupled with gusty surface wind are likely to lash some parts of Odisha.

“Under the influence of upper air cyclonic circulation, a low pressure area has formed over Gangetic West Bengal and adjoining northwest Bay of Bengal,” the MeT office said.