Patna, Sept. 15 -- Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary on Tuesday said Bihar received less than 30 per cent of rainfall so far this year, but is still suffering a devastating flood due to heavy downpour in bordering states and neighbouring Nepal.
Choudhary was speaking at a programme where he transferred Rs 579.23 crore in relief assistance to the bank accounts of 8.27 lakh flood-affected families in 15 districts, each receiving Rs 7,000.
Around 49.72 lakh people have been affected by floods in the state, with several rivers flowing above their danger marks, the Disaster Management Department said.
Choudhary directed the district magistrates of the affected districts to prepare detailed reports on flood-related damage ahead of Union Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan's visit on Wednesday.
A central team led by Chouhan will visit the state to assess the flood situation.
The chief minister said water levels in the Ganga, Sone and Gandak rivers had risen following heavy rainfall in neighbouring Jharkhand and Uttar Pradesh, besides incessant rain in the catchment areas of rivers flowing from Nepal into Bihar.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.