Patna, Sep 6: The flood situation in Bihar remained serious on Sunday as rising water levels in several rivers affected nearly 16.85 lakh people (1.685 million) across 11 districts of the state, even as relief and rescue operations are being carried out continuously by the administration in the affected areas.

According to official figures, the flooding has affected 61 blocks and 300 gram panchayats across 11 districts. Authorities have intensified relief measures to provide food, shelter and other essential assistance to people impacted by the floods.

As part of the ongoing relief operations, 80 community kitchens are currently functioning in the flood-affected districts. So far, around 1.21 lakh people have been provided meals through these centres. In addition, one relief camp is operational, providing accommodation, food, medical assistance, and other essential facilities to 326 flood-affected people.

To provide immediate relief to affected residents, authorities have distributed around 45,900 polythene sheets and 11,700 dry ration packets so far. To facilitate the evacuation and movement of people in flood-hit areas, a total of 1,158 boats are currently being operated across the state.

In view of the possibility of further flooding, 27 State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) teams and seven National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) teams have been deployed in different districts to undertake rapid relief and rescue operations.

According to Water Resources Department data recorded between 8 a.m. and 9 a.m. on Sunday, the Ganga remained above the danger mark at several major locations in Bihar.

At Buxar, the Ganga was recorded 0.08 metres above the danger mark, although the water level was showing a declining trend. At Dighaghat in Patna, the level was 1.54 metres above the danger mark, while at Gandhighat, it was 1.96 metres above and at Hathidah, 1.74 metres above the danger mark. The water level at Gandhighat was stable, while Hathidah recorded a rising trend.

At Munger, the Ganga was 0.51 metre above the danger mark and continued to rise. At Sultanganj, the level was 2.01 metres above the danger mark, while at Bhagalpur it was 0.65 metres above it. The river also remained above the danger mark at Kahalgaon.

Meanwhile, in Prayagraj and Varanasi, the Ganga remained below the warning level. The water level was rising in Prayagraj, while a declining trend was recorded in Varanasi.

Barrage discharge data showed that at 9 a.m. on September 6, the Sone Barrage at Indrapuri was releasing 2,27,739 cusecs of water, with the flow showing a declining trend. The Kosi Barrage at Birpur recorded a discharge of 1,68,400 cusecs, which remained stable. The Gandak Barrage at Valmikinagar was releasing 1,29,000 cusecs, with the discharge also reported to be stable.

Meanwhile, the Bihar Meteorological Service Centre has forecast light to moderate rainfall at several places across the state over the next two days. Heavy rainfall is also possible at some locations.

In view of the possibility of further rainfall and a corresponding rise in river water levels, authorities have been kept on alert to undertake relief and rescue operations. The state government and district administrations are closely monitoring the situation in flood-affected areas, with relief materials, boats and rescue teams being deployed as required.

Kathmandu, Sep 5: A Nepali woman and a Chinese national were rescued alive from two separate flood-affected areas on Saturday, 11 days after deadly floods struck areas along the Bhotekoshi and Trishuli river corridors in Nepal, the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) said.

A 64-year-old woman, Chandrika Shrestha, was rescued on Saturday from the house of Anand Shrestha in flood-affected Betrawati Bazaar in Nuwakot district.

Shrestha, a resident of Bidur Municipality-10 in Nuwakot, was rescued by a team of the Armed Police Force, Nepal, led by Inspector Suman Bik. She was found unconscious, the PMO said.

Following the rescue, she was taken by helicopter to the Nepali Army’s Maithili Barracks in Trishuli. After receiving initial treatment, she will be taken to Kathmandu for further medical care, if necessary, the PMO said.

Meanwhile, a Chinese national was rescued from a tunnel of the flood-affected 216-MW Upper Trishuli 1 Hydropower Project in Rasuwa district, 11 days after the deadly floods struck the area.

The Nepali Army, in coordination with a disaster expert team from South Korea, rescued the Chinese national from Audit 4 of the project’s tunnel, the PMO said in a social media post.

The survivor was subsequently taken to the Maithili Barracks in Trishuli, Nuwakot, for further medical assessment and care.

The rescue was part of intensified ongoing efforts to locate and evacuate people believed to be trapped inside hydropower project tunnels following devastating floods that swept through the Bhotekoshi and Trishuli river systems last week.

Several hydropower projects and other infrastructure along the Bhotekoshi and Trishuli river corridors were badly damaged, while several workers employed at hydropower projects in the affected areas remain out of contact.

According to the Independent Power Producers’ Association, Nepal (IPPAN), a representative body of private-sector power developers in Nepal, the under-construction Upper Trishuli 1 Hydropower Project has reported the highest number of people out of contact among 11 flood-affected hydropower projects in the Rasuwa and Nuwakot districts.

As many as 936 people employed at 11 hydropower projects remain out of contact, including 551 from the Upper Trishuli 1 project, IPPAN said on Friday evening.

On Friday, the Nepali Army rescued two Nepali nationals alive after they had been trapped inside the tunnel of the 60-MW Upper Trishuli 3A Hydropower Project in Nuwakot district.

The Nepali Army has been conducting search and rescue operations in coordination with foreign technical teams, including experts from India, China and South Korea, to reach people stranded inside underground structures at several hydropower projects.

Kathmandu, Sep 5: The death toll from last week’s devastating floods in Nepal has crossed 1,300, as piles of dead bodies collected in different districts continue to pile up.

According to the latest data released by the Nepal Police, as many as 1,344 bodies swept away by the Bhote Koshi River had been recovered as of 8 a.m. Saturday.

The death toll could rise further, as 4,886 people, including 606 foreigners, remain out of contact following the floods that swept all before it, causing huge damage to lives and property of people across the Bhote Koshi and Trishuli river corridor in central Nepal.

A large number of those out of contact are believed to be trapped inside tunnels of 11 hydropower projects along the two river corridors as rescue efforts are underway.

On Friday, two people were rescued alive from the tunnel of the 60MW Upper Trishuli 3A project in Rasuwa district.

The Nepali government said that rescue efforts are underway to find people still out of contact, while authorities are working on body recovery, identification, and relief operations as well.

Security agencies have intensified search and rescue operations in the flood-affected areas. So far, police say 8,962 people have been rescued, including 1552 foreigners.

Authorities are also stepping up efforts to identify the recovered bodies. DNA samples have been collected from 1,260 deceased people and 1,012 relatives of the deceased, bringing the total number of samples collected to 2,272, according to the police.

Nepal Police has deployed 7,912 personnel for search, rescue and relief operations. Sixty-five police personnel have themselves been affected by the disaster, while 25 remain out of contact.

The floods have also caused extensive damage to physical infrastructure and private property along the Bhote Koshi and Trishuli river systems.

Nepal has sought international support for the restoration process of the affected areas once the phases of rescue and relief are over.