Heavy Rain Ravages Many States

Hospitals and homes flooded, schools shut in many areas of Bihar, boats out on Patna streets; rain toll mounts in Eastern UP too

- Rohit Kumar Singh and Sujit Kumar Jha

Severe widespread water-logging triggered by incessant rains has thrown normal life out of gear in Bihar and Uttar Pradesh as more than 80 people have been killed in the last few days. On Sunday, three people were killed in Bihar's Bhagalpur district when a wall collapsed on them following heavy rains. Many others are feared to be trapped. Besides this, in Khagaul, four people died when a tree fell on an auto due to heavy rains.

The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and state authorities are carrying out round the clock relief and rescue operations.

In Bihar's capital Patna, floodwater has entered residential areas and many hospitals. People have to wade through waistdeep waterlogged streets to reach hospitals and avail other civic amenities.Several trains in the region have been canceled or are running late by several hours. Healthcare facilities and schools have also been hampered due to heavy rains in the state.

East Central Railway officials said rail traffic was suspended on the Darbhanga-Samastipur section in the morning as tracks at some places got inundated due to heavy rain, leaving at least three trains stranded.

PATNA GOES DOWN UNDER

In Patna, Rajendra Nagar is one of the worst-affected areas. Ground floors of all houses have been flooded and the area is without electricity supply for hours. NDRF and SDRF teams have deployed 16 boats to rescue people and provide them food and drinking water.