Floods Lashes Country as Railway Networks Down, Death Toll Rises

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Monsoon floods and landslides unleashed by unprecedented rains have killed hundreds and displaced lakhs across the country with Assam, Meghalaya, Bihar, Himachal Pradesh and West Bengal being the worst affected.

The rail link to northeast India from the rest of the country has been severed. The second wave of floods in Assam within a month has ravaged the state and swallowed livelihoods of over 23 lakh. 

He said the state government is working to find a permanent solution to the recurring floods. Incessant rains in the last three days in neighbouring Nepal, coupled with heavy rains in Bihar have flooded Kishanganj, Purnea, Araria and Katihar districts. Swollen rivers like Mahananda and Kankai made matters worse.

 Flood waters have entered the Narkatiaganj area of West Champaran district, said officials. Numerous trains have been cancelled due to waterlogging at the Narkatiaganj yard. 

Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has asked for an additional deployment of 10 companies of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) in the state and Indian Air Force's helicopters to carry out relief and rescue operations.

 Flood fury has claimed at least three lives and affected over five lakh people in West Bengal. Rail and road communication has been severely hit. Cooch Behar district was virtually cut off from the rest of India with vehicular and train movement coming to a stop.

 Around 2.87 lakh people were displaced in Cooch Behar, and another two lakh in Jalpaiguri and Alipurduar districts and over 50,000 were hit in Malda, North Dinajpur, Darjeeling and South Dinajpur districts. 

 Only five injured could be rescued in a day-long operation and 23 bodies are yet to be identified, officials said. Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh visited the spot and announced an ex-gratia of Rs. 5 lakh for the dead.

There were reports of flash floods and landslides in different parts of Khasi Hills. Chief Minister Mukul Sangma has been monitoring the rescue operations.

 The flood toll in Gujarat has risen to 218 this monsoon, with 61 people killed in worst-hit Banaskantha district, an official said.

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