Flood claims 8 more lives in Sitamarhi, death toll 19

Arun Lata Sharma

Sitamarhi: The flood claimed 8 more lives in Sitamarhi district on August 18, 2017, raising the toll to 19 so far. Over six lakh people are affected by the flood in the district though the rivers are showing receding trends.

Kailash Devi, 65, drowned to death near village Harpurwa under Bajpatti block. Abhishek,12, Ratnesh, 20, and Ratnesh Kumar Das, 17, all residents of village Harsinghpur under Runnisaidpur
block, also swept away by river Bagmati and lost their lives.

Babita Kumari , 11, a resident of village Dhanukhi also drowned to death in the flood water on August 18 while six year old Usha Kumari`s  body was fished out from river Sangahi near Koari village under Sursand block. Krishnandan Sahni, 18, a native of village Methaura under Dumra block drowned to death in river Lakhandei. A resident of village Lohasi under Belsand Sub-Division Vikas Kumar, 11,  also drowned to death. Kavita Kumari, 18, met his watery grave under Parsauni block.

That apart, more than dozen people of several localities in the district are reported missing. Army jawans and NDRF personnel have rescued a large number of the people in the district. Some patients were attended by the doctors with the help of NDRF team.

Road communication to blockheadquarters is, however, yet to be restored in the district though communication on Sitamarhi –Darbhanga started on August 19. The railway traffic has also resumed between Sitamarhi -Darbhanga and Sitamarhi -Muzaffarpur. Railways officials are assessing thedamage caused by river Bagmati to tracks between Sitamarhi and Raxaul. Several NGOs, workers of different political parties and social organizations are distributing relief materials among the flood affected people. The district administration has been carrying out relief operation on war footing.

According to Sitamarhi DM Rajiv Raushan, 152 relief camps have been set up in the flood hit areas in the district and adequate food and other materials are being provided to the people. Road
connectivity between Muzaffarpur and Sitamarhi was never disrupted, added the DM.