The flood in the state of Bihar, India, due to heavy rainfall, has affected nearly five million people. Local officials have announced that all seven major rivers in the state have crossed the danger level, and emergency measures to assist the victims have begun.
Assistance to Victims
Vijay Kumar Chaudhary, the Deputy Chief Minister of Bihar, stated that food, clean drinking water, medicine, and other essential facilities are being continuously provided to needy families. The government has also disbursed 7,000 rupees (equivalent to 72 dollars) to over 827,000 affected families.
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According to statistics from the Bihar Disaster Management Authority, nearly five million people have been affected by the flood, indicating the vast scale of this humanitarian crisis. Chaudhary emphasized that the government's priority is to ensure that every affected family receives the necessary assistance and that reconstruction efforts are carried out with a spirit of "building back better."
Consequences of the Flood and Livelihood Status
The flood began earlier this month, with local reports indicating 20 deaths and extensive submergence of agricultural land. Bihar, being one of the flood-prone states in India, is located downstream from Nepal, which also experienced deadly floods last month. Chandam Kumar Mahto, a resident of the Saran area, said, "The flood is our fate; we face it every year."
The Bihar government, which includes a coalition of parties, comprises the Bharatiya Janata Party led by Narendra Modi. This government has set up 13 relief camps and deployed over 1,000 community kitchens and nearly 1,800 boats in the affected areas. Modi has also dispatched a federal team to assess the damages in the region.
Lakshmaniya Devi, a resident of the Vaishali area, stated that she and her family have taken refuge on the roof of their house due to water entering their home. She added, "We live like nomads, without a kitchen and with dirty water to survive."
Hari Mandal, a worker from the Ghughha village in the Bhagalpur district, also expressed that he cannot work due to the critical conditions, and if the situation continues like this, he will be left without food as he has no savings left to survive.
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