‘Ready to provide all possible assistance,’ tweets PM Modi after speaking with Nitish Kumar over Bihar floods

india

Updated: Sep 30, 2019 20:53 IST

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday expressed concern about the severe floods in Bihar and assured all possible help from the Centre for the flood-hit state, where more than 25 people have been killed over the weekend.

“Spoke to Bihar CM @NitishKumar ji regarding the flood situation in parts of the state. Agencies are working with local administration to assist the affected. Centre stands ready to provide all possible assistance that may be required,” the prime minister said in a tweet.

State capital Patna remained inundated as heavy rain pounded most districts in Bihar over the last two days. On Sunday, at least three people were killed and several feared trapped after a wall collapsed in Bhagalpur following incessant rain, according to news agency ANI.

Teams of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) have been deployed to carry out rescue operations. More than 4,000 people, including women and children, were rescued from the flood-hit areas of Patna on Monday, the NDRF said.

The force said it has deployed five teams, with about 45 personnel in each, to conduct rescue and relief work in the city.

“More than 4,000 affected people have been evacuated from Patna on Monday that includes women, patients, children and elderly. They have been shifted to safer places by the force,” an NDRF spokesperson said.

He said normal life has been disrupted in the capital city and adjoining areas like Rajendra Nagar, Kankar Bagh, Patrakar Nagar, Hanuman Nagar and Malahi Pakri, among others.

Water also entered the premises of several hospitals in Patna. Both the Nalanda Medical College Hospital, the second largest in the city, and Gardanibagh hospital were flooded. Ambulances were not able to ply and the hospitals depended on hand pulled carts to transport oxygen cylinders and other essential items.

The Meteorological department has forecast heavy rain for the next few days. The district administration has ordered closure of all schools till Tuesday.

(With inputs from agencies).