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Swarajya Staff
Sep 30, 2019, 12:53 PM | Updated 12:53 PM IST
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As many as 29 people have lost their lives in Bihar till Monday (30 September) due to non-stop heavy rainfall for the past 48 hours, mainly in three districts of the state, The Indian Express reported.
According to news agency ANI, the capital city of Patna is among the most affected areas with several areas submerged under four-to six-feet-deep water.
The officials in the state claim water-logging situation to be the worst since 1975 floods. The state government has sought two helicopters from the Indian Air Force to airlift people stranded in submerged areas, and to drop food packets and medicines.
The situation in the neighbouring Uttar Pradesh also seems similar where at least 14 people died on Sunday (29 September) due to high downpour.
National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) have been conducting relief operations and taking people out of low-laying areas. Transport facilities have been severely affected with several trains and flights getting cancelled or diverted.
Several government hospitals in Patna including Nalanda Medical College and Hospital (NMCH) have also been water-logged, affecting the services for patients.
Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar held a meeting with top state officials, including those of disaster management department to review the situation in the affected areas. He also spoke to the officials from other districts through video conferencing.
“It is nature's fury before which man is often helpless. We are, however, trying our best. The problem is, we have no idea how long the downpour which caps a prolonged dry spell causing a drought-like situation is going to last. Even the weather department seems clueless, making different predictions at different points of time,” Kumar told the reporters.
Forecast department has warned of heavier rainfall in the next 24 hours in Bihar. Owing to the possibility of situation worsening in the state, the authorities have shut down schools till Tuesday.