The flood situation in Bihar showed signs of improvement with major rivers maintaining a receding trend, even as four more deaths were reported from Darbhanga district, taking the total toll to 81.
State Disaster Management Department sources said over 11 million people spread over 4,822 villages in Muzaffarpur, Sitamarhi, Saharsa, East Champaran, Supaul, Darbhanga, Patna, Bhagalpur, West Champaran, Katihar, Madhubani, Samastipur, Sheohar, Nalanda, Khagaria, Gopalganj, Madhepura, Araria and Begusarai were affected by the floods.
Indian Air Force helicopters air-dropped food packets in the flood-hit areas.
With reports of four fresh deaths from Darbhanga, where 14 people have lost their lives in the floods, the death toll touched 81 with Samastipur district accounting for the maximum number of deaths (15).
Crops in 9.18 lakh hectares worth over Rs 93.36 crore were destroyed, while 70,603 houses were damaged, causing losses of about Rs 22.01 crore. Government property worth Rs 12.12 crore was also destroyed in the floods.
Major rivers, including Burhi Gandak, Bagmati, Adhvara, Kosi, Mahananda and Gandak, were flowing above danger mark at several places, a Central Water Commission report said adding, all these rivers were maintaining a receding trend.
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