Patna, August 17 (PTI): The flood situation in Bihar worsened today as the death toll mounted to 98 due to the deluge which has affected nearly 93 lakh people in 15 districts, forced postponment of examination and cancellation of trains.
The toll due to the floods triggered by rains in Nepal and northern parts of the state was 72 yesterday, and 73.44 lakh people in 14 districts were hit. Saharsa was the latest district to be affected, officials said.
Though the Met office has forecast possibility of rain in southern Bihar for one more week, there would be less rainfall in Nepal and northern parts of Bihar.
The health department has launched a toll free number 104, officials said, adding hospitals have been direstced to maintain a sufficient stock of anti-snake and anti-rabies injections.
Araria district accounted for 20 deaths, followed by East Champaran (14), West Champaran (13), Madhepura (12), Sitamarhi (11), Kisanganj (8), Purnea (5), Madhubani (5), Darbhanga (4), Saharsa (3), Sheohar (2) and Supual (1), said Disaster Management Department Principal Secretary Pratyay Amrit.
Meanwhile, train services continued to be affected.
An East Central Railways statement said 39 trains have been cancelled as water overtopped tracks. The cancelled trains included 12235 Dibrugarh-New Delhi Rajdhani, 12424 New Delhi-Dibrugarh Rajdhani till August 20.
Many trains have been short-terminated.
Vijay Sinha, Commandant of 9th battalion of NDRF, said the force's personnel rescued 25 pregnant women, 55 animals and saved eight from drowning.
The NDRF team yesterday facilitated the birth of a baby girl on its boat in Madhubani district.
