NEW DELHI (Bernama) - The death toll in ongoing floods in India's eastern state of Bihar has risen to 514, China's Xinhua news agency reported disaster management department officials as saying.
According to officials, the flood situation continued to remain grim in the Samastipur, Muzaffarpur and Darbhanga districts of the state, with the Burhi Gandak and Bagmati rivers flowing above the danger mark.
The surging water from the rivers has inundated more areas, with the floodwaters so far affecting 17.1 million people in over 21 districts of the state.
"A total of 514 deaths have been reported so far across the state due to floods," a senior disaster management official said. "In 21 districts, a total of 8,394 villages have been affected."
A government spokesman said the state's Chief Minister, Mr Nitish Kumar, has reviewed the ongoing relief and rescue operations in flood-affected areas.
The local government has announced a compensation of US$6,248 (S$8,445) for each family that has lost a member in the devastating floods.
Meanwhile, in Uttar Pradesh, the death toll in the ongoing spell of flooding has risen to 109. Around 2.5 million people have been affected in 5, 000 villages of Uttar Pradesh.
