Community kitchens, boat ambulances: Bihar copes with floods that have hit 22 lakh

Over 22 lakh individuals in 12 Bihar districts have been impacted by recent flooding, prompting the state government to intensify relief and rescue efforts. The number of community kitchens surged to 190 from 80 within a day, according to the Disaster Management Department. The affected regions span 70 blocks and 368 gram panchayats in 12 districts, including Patna, Bhojpur, Saran, and others. Livestock were washed away, public infrastructure damaged, and property valued in the millions of crores lost.

Vigilance increased along Ganga embankments in five districts, with community kitchens currently catering to around 2.51 lakh people. The state has deployed 1,429 boats for transportation and evacuation, while the number of medical camps has risen to 171. In Saran, one of the affected districts, 233,511 people in 109 villages were affected as of Sunday, with 1,206 evacuated and no reported deaths.

Saran deployed 1,206 boats and six SDRF rafts, plus an NDRF unit, treating 1,371 patients in 21 medical camps. Boat ambulances also functioned.

Special efforts for children at relief camps in Sonpur included games, educational, and creative activities. In Patna district, 25 community kitchens served over 70,000 people, with 20 medical camps, 28 ambulances, and six boat ambulances deployed. Flooded areas include the Kosi, Budhi Gandak, Punpun, and Bagmati rivers, where heightened caution was advised.

The Bihar Meteorological Service Centre forecasted light to moderate rain over the next two days. Opposition leader Yadav requested Rs 5,000 crore in special financial aid and the deployment of Indian Air Force helicopters for relief. The state government assured continuous monitoring and expanded relief measures as needed.