"Assessing situation to identify missing people": Bihar Minister Ratnesh Sada says govt in contact with authorities in Nepal following flood

Ratnesh Sada told ANI that the government was in contact with the Nepalese authorities regarding those stranded, urging that they be moved to safe locations.

Bihar Disaster Management Minister Ratnesh Sada on Saturday said that the state government is assessing the situation to identify the Bihar residents missing in Nepal in the wake of the August 26 flash flood. Ratnesh Sada told ANI that the government was in contact with the Nepalese authorities regarding those stranded, urging that they be moved to safe locations.

"The government is looking into this. They are assessing the situation to identify exactly who is missing and from which districts. Arrangements are being made to locate and bring them back. The government is in contact with the Nepalese authorities regarding those stranded, urging that they be moved to safe locations," he said. Meanwhile, the Bihar government safely rescued around 100 pilgrims from Maharashtra who were stranded in Kathmandu following flash floods in Nepal and sent them back to their home state by train on Saturday.

The rescue operation was carried out on the directions of the Bihar Chief Minister and under the supervision of the Chief Secretary and Principal Secretary, Disaster Management Department. Following a request from the Maharashtra government, the Sitamarhi district administration took prompt action on August 28 and safely escorted the pilgrims from the Nepal border to Sitamarhi.

Amid growing concerns over downstream water flows, authorities in Bihar are monitoring the water level at the Gandak Barrage in West Champaran, which remained within the normal range at 97,500 cusecs on Saturday morning. The water level at the Valmikinagar Barrage, which connects Bihar and Nepal, had fluctuated earlier, reaching 1,02,100 cusecs on Friday. Authorities have continued to monitor the situation closely in view of the flood situation in Nepal and its potential impact on downstream areas in Bihar.

Bihar Minister Nand Kishor Ram also visited the barrage earlier and reaffirmed that the state government was fully prepared to deal with any eventuality. The death toll in the Bhotekoshi flood disaster in Nepal has reached 626, while 2,426 people remain missing, according to Nepal's National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority (NDRRMA). (ANI)