India: Situation report 01 (Bihar flood 2008)
Background: Early rains during the month of May caused concern among the Govt., NGOs and Community due to resulting abrupt increases in water levels in three major rivers of north Bihar i.e. Koshi, Gandak and Bagmati. High water level of Ganges River has brought floods to areas not considered to be flood prone and the release of water from Nepal has only exacerbated the situation.
To date only 31 flood related deaths are reported by Government of Bihar. The rescue and relief work has been carried out by local administration. UNICEF and BIPARD have provided small scale relief. In addition, the District magistrate of Patna has requested CRS to provide one FRP boat for search and rescue operations. The draft agreement has been prepared and under consideration of CRS.
Present Situation: The recent breach in the Eastern Koshi embankment adjoining the Nepal and Bihar border has caused serious fear for flood to twelve north-eastern districts of Bihar. The embankment breach has taken place on Aug 19th,08. The breach in the eastern Koshi embankment has severely affected the Supaul district. The other districts will also be affected as flood water will take normal basin course to these districts. The seriousness of the situation has been assessed by the Chief Minister of Bihar and secretary, department of Disaster management yesterday by Aerial survey. An IAG meeting was called by BIPARD to assess the present situation due to breach in Eastern Koshi embankment.
Impact of flood caused by breach in eastern Koshi embankment (Nepal): Supaul was the most severely affected district along with the distrcts in Nepal. CRS has reports from Caritas/CRS Nepal that around 50,000 families have been affected.
The situation in Supaul district is grim as 30,000 HHs has been displaced by the flood in three Blocks. Basantpur , Trivenigunj and Chatapur has been three most severely affected blocks in Supaul district. 12 Panchayats are completely drowned in this flood. Basantpur is most severely affected block where 8 Panchayat are completely drowned and around 15,000 HHs are displaced. Sixteen persons are reported missing as per local media. Others blocks have also received flood water but water has receded immediately. Virpur and Pratapgunj are other affected blocks.
Response of Government of Bihar: The Government of Bihar has taken immediate steps to initiate Relief and Rescue operation. 1,500 tarpauline sheets are distributed till Aug 20th, 08. Rice along with Jaggery has been distributed to the affected people as per immediate relief.
Response of UNICEF: UNICEF Bihar has been monitoring the situation closely with their local partners in neighbouring Sharasa district.
Response of IAG: BIPARD has requested all the IAG members to explore the possibilities of response, but all made it clear that no resources are available with us. All the IAG members have expressed their willingness to respond but they have no resources at present. BIPARD had received request from the local administrations for shelter and safe drinking water support, but no details were given.
Forecast: Districts of Northern Bihar have received moderate level of rain in last two days. All the rivers are flowing below the danger level except River Ganges has been flowing above danger level in several places. Yesterday 1.94 cuseq of water has been released from Nepal may cause rise in water level of Gandak river. A total number of 802 villages are having moderate to severe flood in 44 blocks of following ten districts:-
1. Patna2. Shekpura3. Nalanda4. Khagaria5. Supaul6. Araria7. Muzaffarpur8. Katihar9. Saharsa10. W.Champaran
CRS Response: CRS participated in the IAG/BIPARD meeting and has consulted with the Forum and partner BVDS (who has a presence in neighbouring district). CRS and Partner staff (Nitish, Fr. Maria-Director, MDS, Fr. Joseph Moses) had a meeting on the flood situation in Supaul. As per Fr. Joseph Moses situation in Supaul is grim in a few of the blocks, but more information is needed. Fr. Joseph Orya is staying at Virpur block, has not been able to travel today as his area is marooned by flood water. We have just received the information that flood water has entered in 15 Panchayats of Narpatganj block of Araria district today. This is the same water released from the breached embankment at Nepal.
It was decided to conduct an assessment mission to Supaul tomorrow. Nitish, Mr. Jeevan and Fr. Joseph Moses will leave for the affected area tomorrow morning.
Railways to donate Rs 90 cr for Bihar flood victims: LaluPosted at Friday, 29 August 2008 17:08 IST
New Delhi, Aug 29: Railway Minister Lalu Prasad today announced an assistance of over Rs 90 crore from the Railway Minister Relief Fund (RMRF) to flood victims in Bihar where rover Kosi is in spate affecting more than 20 lakh people in the state."I will donate my one month salary as well Rs 1 crore that I got from a TV show. All railway employees (14 lakh) will also contribute their one day salary, "Prasad told reporters here today, a day ahead of his visit to the flood hit areas.Besides all PSUs under Railways will contribute to the fund, which will be distributed among the flood victims after the rescue work is over and people come back to villages," Prasad said appealing everybody to donate generously to the RMRF.Concor, IRCON, and RITEs will contribute Rs 5 crore each, IRCTC, IRFC and Railtel Rs 2 crore each and Kutch Railway, Rail Development Corporation and Dedicated Freight Corridor Rs 25 lakh each to the fund.Taking note of shortage of drinking water in the affected areas, the Railway Minister announced the dispatch 25 railway tankers carrying potable water and one lakh bottles of 'Rail Neer' immediately.Besides, the Women Welfare wing of the Railways has promised to donate one lakh saris and dhotis each among the flood victims.The Railway minister informed that additional trains to rescue people trapped in the flood are being run free of cost in the affected areas."These relief trains are being run from August 22, which include six trains each between Saharsa- Madhepura and Purnea-Banmankhi, four between Saharsa-Patna and two between Samastipur and Saharsa," Prasad said.
BIHAR FLOOD - NITISH KUMAR's SPEECH
Rescue and relief operations intensified in flood ravaged Bihar
Rescue and relief operations have been intensified in flood ravaged Bihar as millions await evacuation from the region.
Patna, August 29 : Rescue and relief operations have been intensified in flood ravaged Bihar as millions await evacuation from the region.
More than 125,000 people have been reportedly evacuated from the flood hit areas so far, there are a million others who are still awaiting succor and relief across over 15 districts presenting a very grim situation.
Local media channels on Friday said that around 120,000 people have been shifted to safety.
The flooding, the worst in 50 years, was caused after the Kosi river breached a dam in Nepal from where it originates, unleashing huge waves of water that smashed mud embankments downstream in Bihar.
The waters of Kosi, known as Bihar's 'river of sorrow' for its regular floods and tendency to change course, gushed into the state inundating vast areas and affecting around two million people.
In Madhepura district, one of the worst affected, it has been in literal terms, a fight against the nature for survival.
Efforts are being made by the authorities to ease the suffering and misery of the people who have been surrounded by flood water for the past ten days now.
Relief material was dispatched for the flood affected areas from New Delhi on Friday.
Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh announced an assistance of rupees ten billion to Bihar for rescue and relief operations and 125,000 tonnes of food grains for the flood hit Bihar on Thursday.
The Prime Minister announced that more helicopters would be used to rescue villagers marooned in distant villages and assured more financial assistance.
Meanwhile, an all-party meeting to review relief and rescue operations in flood ravaged districts was held in Patna.
Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar said that Supaul, Saharsa, Araria, Madhepura and Purnia districts are the worst affected and announced the formation of district-level coordination-cum-monitoring committee.
"All the members of the state Legislative Assembly and Legislative Council would give their one month's salary towards the rescue and relief work," said Kumar.
Union Railways Minister Lalu Prasad Yadav, who hails from Bihar, met Prime Minister and Home Minister Shivraj Patil on Friday and requested them to immediately release additional forces to step up relief work.
He also met the Union Cabinet Secretary K.M. Chandrashekhar to discuss the situation.
"I met Prime Minister, Home Minister and Cabinet Secretary. I have told them that there are people in the affected areas who need immediate help, they need to press all the forces into action. The Prime Minister has given directives to the Cabinet Secretary to take action," said Yadav.
The United States announced a 100,000 dollar flood-relief package for the victims. Aid agencies, including UNICEF are in Bihar distributing food, clothes and medicines.
At least two million people have been forced from their homes and a quarter of a million houses destroyed. So far 55 deaths have been officially reported in Bihar, but activists and local media put the toll many times higher.
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