Patna:
The death toll in the Bihar floods mounted to 24 on Monday, with 25.66 lakh people reeling from the deluge in 12 districts of the state following incessant rains in neighbouring country Nepal, officials said.
Five more children drowned in two separate incidents in East Champaran district, but a senior official of the state disaster management department said they were not counted among the flood casualties.
With five rivers in spate, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar undertook his second aerial survey of the flood-hit areas during the day.
Of the 24 deaths reported till 6 pm on Monday, Sitamarhi accounted for 10 deaths, while nine were reported from Araria, four from Kishanganj and one from Sheohar, a Disaster Management Department report said.
Four deaths were reported till Sunday evening from Araria (2), Sheohar (1) and Kishanganj (1).
According to the Water Resources Department daily bulletin, five rivers — Baghmati, Kamla Balan, Lalbakeya, Adhwara and Mahananda — are flowing above danger level at various places in the state.
Baghmati river is flowing above danger mark at five places including Dheng, Sonakhan, Dubbadhar in Sitamarhi while at one place at Benibad in Muzaffarpur district, it said.
A Patna Meteorological Centre official said it has issued a warning of heavy rainfall in Supaul, Araria, Kishangaj, Purnea and Katihar in next 24 hours.
As many as 25,66,100 people have been affected by flood waters in 77 blocks of 12 districts — Sheohar, Sitamarhi, East Champaran, Madhubani, Araria, Kishanganj, Supaul, Darbhanga, Muzaffarpur, Saharsa, Katihar and Purnea — the report said.
Saharsa, Katihar and Purnea districts are the latest addition to the list of the districts marooned.
