No let up in flood fury in Sitamarhi, double storey building collapses at Bela

Arun Lata Sharma

Sitamarhi : There was no let up in the flood fury of rivers Bagmati, Lalbakeya, Adhwara Group, Lakhandei, Rato, Marar and Hardi in Sitamarhi district on July 18, 2019. All rivers are still flowing above danger mark though showing slow receding trends. A double storey building collapsed at village Bela under Parihar block in a river ravine. The house inmates escaped after noticing the tilt.
Sitamarhi DM Dr Ranjeet Kumar Singh forcibly vacated the buildings and shops built on the banks of river Lakhandei in the town. It may be mentioned here that a three storey building had collapsed and fallen into the river on July 17, 2019.
More than 200 community kitchens are functioning in the district. Commissioner, Turhut Division, and Range DIG are also monitoring flood condition and relief and rehabilitation works. They visited a few marooned villages under Dumra block.

The district administration has confirmed seventeen deaths so far in the district due to flood and next of kin of some of them  have already received cheques of Rs 4 lakh each. On the initiative of the DM,  200 Aapda Mitra and 55 volunteers of Mahila brigade have also been sent to the flood affected areas.

Meanwhile, Uttar Bihar Samyukt Kisan Morcha convenor Prof. Anand Kishore has urged the state government to declare Sitamarhi as critically flood affected district.