Bihar rains: Deputy CM Sushil Modi, family rescued by NDRF in Patna

At least 29 people were killed due to rain-related incidents in the last three days across Bihar. Patna remained the worst affected, where heavy downpour has caused flooding in homes, hospitals and offices, bringing normal life to a standstill.

A red alert was sounded for most districts in the state, as the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) predicted heavy to very heavy rainfalls over the next three days. According to the IMD, Patna alone has received around 200 mm of rainfall since Friday evening.

The state Chief Minister, Nitish Kumar, had called for a meeting with the district magistrates of the affected areas via video conferencing on Saturday. The CM has directed the setting up of community kitchens and relief camps.

The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) have been deployed in the affected districts to carry out immediate relief and rescue operations in case of emergency.

Water Resources Department officials had earlier said water levels in all the rivers in the state were rising leading to inundation in towns and rural areas and putting pressure on the embankments.

According to officials, water gushed into dozens of villages in Muzaffarpur, West Champaran, East Champaran, Darbhanga and Bhagalpur. In Muzaffarpur, heavy rainfall has resulted in waterlogging in the entire town. "The town is submerged due to failure of drainage system and the water has entered the Sadar Hospital," an official was quoted as saying by IANS.

Here are the Live updates of the situation in the state on Monday:

"People are facing difficulties due to water-logging here. We are distributing the relief material to people. Five teams of NDRF have been deployed in Rajendra Nagar and Kankarbagh areas of Patna," said Kumar Balchand, Deputy Commandant, NDRF.

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has called a meeting with officials of flood-affected districts later today. The meeting will be held via video conferencing, reported ANI.

"I have had meetings with our MLAs & officials. I am informed that all gates of Farakka Barrage have been opened & bigger pumps from Coal India will be made available. NDRF has informed that there are enough boats," said Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad.

He had earlier held a meeting with Jal Shakti Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat in Delhi, requesting him to open the gates. 

The release of 2.75 lakh cusecs of water from the Indrapuri barrage across the Sone river had only worsened the situation in Ganga, which had a direct impact on Patna.

Chief Minister Nitish Kumar visited the flooded areas of Patna - Dak Bungalow Chauraha, Gandhi Maidan, Exhibition road, Kankarbagh Road, NMCH, Agamkuan bridge and Anishabad - on Sunday and issued necessary instructions to the officials, reported Financial Express.

With normal life disrupted due to flooding and waterlogging in various parts of Patna for the last three days, the district administration has declared holiday in schools and colleges till Tuesday.

Bihar government has asked Indian Air Force for two helicopters for lifting and airdropping food packets and medicines, in the flood-affected areas of Patna, reported ANI.