Bihar flood toll rises to 201

The toll in the devastating floods in Bihar rose to 201 Monday, said an official of the state disaster management department.

 Nearly seven million people have been affected in the floods in 20 districts.

"So far, floods have claimed 201 lives, even as waters are receding in all major rivers in the state," the official said. Officials said crops in over six lakh hectares worth crores of rupees have been destroyed and road communication has snapped at several places. last week, the Met Office warned of heavy rain and cloudburst-like situation in districts bordering Nepal in the second week of September.

The government has already sounded an alert in the vulnerable districts and asked district magistrates and superintendents of police to maintain vigil and take precautionary measures to tackle any eventuality, said Arun Kumar Singh, principal secretary in the water resources department. The state government has requested the National Disaster Management Authority to send three companies of the National Disaster Response Force for emergency rescue and relief operations.