Patna, Jul 27 (IANS): The surging floods in Bihar have spread to 11 districts, affecting nearly 15 lakh people in the state. Relief and rescue operations by the state government have not proved adequate. Major rivers in the state are in spate and flowing above the danger mark.

The water resources department report said the water level of Kosi, near Veerpur barrage, rose from 1.55 lakh cusec at 6 am on Monday to 1.62 lakh cusec at 8 am. The Gandak river was flowing at 1.89 lakh cusec at the Balmikinagar barrage at 6 am, which reached to 2.9 million cusec at 8 am.

In Bihar, almost all rivers are flowing above the danger mark. Rivers such as Ganga, Bagmati, Budhi, Gandak, Kamala Balan, Mahananda and Ghaghra have been flowing above the danger mark in many areas.

Disaster management additional secretary Ramchandra Doo said the disaster management department has been alert and undertaking rescue and relief operations in view of the increased water level of various rivers in Bihar. Due to the increased water level of rivers, 625 panchayats in 86 blocks across 11 districts of Bihar have been inundated and affected nearly 1.5 million people.

He claimed that in 26 relief camps nearly 14,011 people are staying. As many as 463 community kitchens are being run in the flood-affected areas, which feed nearly 1,77,065 people every day. He informed that NDRF and SDRF teams are engaged in relief and rescue operations in all inundated districts. He said that nearly 1,36,464 people have been evacuated from the affected areas by NDRF, SDRF with the help of boats.

He said that food packets are dropped by helicopters for flood-affected people. People have taken shelter at higher reaches on national highways and embankments.

However, people complain that government lacks in providing adequate facility to the flood-hit. The situation in Gopalganj, Darbhanga and Muzaffarpur has worsened. Many flood-affected people are living in the streets of Gopalganj and Muzaffarpur.