India, Sept. 16 -- Amid mounting political pressure and widespread devastation from the floods, a team led by Union agriculture and farmers' welfare minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Wednesday began a two-day assessment of the damage, touring inundated villages alongside state chief minister Samrat Choudhary.

The visit, ordered by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, comes even as the state is grappling with a dual crisis of floods in several districts triggered by swollen rivers and upstream discharge, alongside drought-like conditions in many others due to acute rainfall paucity.

Official data shows Bihar has recorded a 36 per cent rainfall deficit from June 1 to September 16, with only 577.3 mm against the normal 899.4 mm. Districts that re...