2008-08-30 08:05:39 - Nitish Kumar directed state top adminstration offcials to set up mega relief camps at Purnia, Forbesganj, Saharsa, Supaul and Bathnaha which would run until the situation normalised in the districts ravaged by the Kosi.

Situation in Bihar is grim following a 2-km breach in the eastern embankment of Kosi River in Kusha on the Indo-Nepal border, which occurred on August 18.

Nepal

Reconstruction of two damaged spurs came to a halt on Friday as water level in the Saptakoshi river began rising due to incessant rainfall.
Work to repair spurs number 11 and 12 of

the Saptakoshi embankment was initiated yesterday. These two spurs posed further threat to be collapsed after the works were stopped on Friday.

Chief District Officer of Sunsari Durga Bhandari said repair work was halted due to heavy downpour. According to experts, more than half of Sunsari would be submerged if the two spurs collapsed. CDO Bhandari said the incessant rainfall affected rescue and relief operation.

Meanwhile, Chief of Army Staff Rukmangat Katuwal made an aerial inspection of the eroding spurs and inundated area on Friday, a source at the Nepal Army's eastern regional divisional headquarters said.
The flooded river has submerged parts of five VDCs of Sunsari district, forcing 200 civilians to leave their homes. The people of Jalpapur, Narsingh, Ghuski, Basantapur and Bhutaha have been displaced, said a local, Bipin Yadav. According to him, two bridges linking Harinagara with Bhutaha and Jalpapur with Bhutaha were swept away.

India

More than three million people in 15 districts of Bihar have been affected by the disaster and 4500 tents have already been received from BSF, CRPF, Assam Rifles and Sashastra Seema Bal for erecting these camps and many more were on way.

Equipped with a total of 250 handpumps and toilets, these camps would also have health centres with operation theatre and labour rooms where doctors and para-medical staff would be deputed in adequate numbers, the sources said.

Chief Minister Nitish Kumar spoke to his Punjab counterpart Prakash Singh Badal on Friday evening requesting him to pitch in with help.Along with people, lakhs of cattle were also reeling under the impact of floods.Badal assured him to provide 1200 tonnes of cattle feed free of cost, official sources said.Three rakes carrying the fodder will leave Punjab for Saharsa and Purnia on Monday from where it would be transported by trucks to various flood-hit areas.

Railway Minister Lalu Prasad has already announced that the railways would not charge any freight for transporting relief materials to the state.

Prasad too had spoken to the chief ministers of Punjab and Haryana seeking at least one rake each of fodder for the state.