Bihar: Govt fully prepared, says state Disaster Management Minister Ratnesh Sada following Nepal flash floods

Patna (Bihar) [India], August 26 (ANI): Amid the flash floods in Nepal and their impact on Bihar, state Disaster Management Minister Ratnesh Sada on Wednesday emphasised the government's preparedness to tackle every situation, while pointing out the aerial survey conducted by Chief Minister Samrat Chaudhary in the flood-affected regions.
Speaking to ANI, the Bihar Minister stated that the government would work toward avoiding floods here.
"We have made all preparations. We do not want there to be a flood, but if it happens, we are prepared. There is no problem... The CM conducted an aerial survey of Bhagalpur, Begusarai, Chhapra, Munger, and everywhere else for two days. In Bhagalpur, a dam broke, and it led to water entering downstream. Another dam broke in Begusarai, again leading to water entering downstream," he said.
"When a disaster strikes, flood-affected people have a right to the funds of the Bihar government. But I hope such a situation doesn't arise; if it happens, we are ready for it. Dry rations and relief materials are being arranged for them. Boats are also being arranged. There will be no issues. We are all prepared," he added.
Meanwhile, Santosh Kumar Mall, Principal Secretary of Disaster Management, said that the Bihar government is on high alert in view of the potential flood threat in the state.
"The entire disaster management team is on high alert in view of the potential threat of floods. Alerts have been issued for districts at risk of flooding. Additional NDRF teams have been deployed to Bettiah, Gopalganj, and Muzaffarpur, while SDRF teams are already stationed in areas prone to flooding," Mall told ANI in a telephonic conversation.
Earlier today, Bihar Chief Minister Samrat Chaudhary directed officials to remain on alert amid the flash flood situation in Nepal's upper catchment areas and the possibility of increased water flow in the Gandak River.
At least 95 people have been confirmed dead, and dozens remain missing after a catastrophic flash flood swept through Rasuwa and neighbouring districts on Wednesday, crippling communication channels and severely hampering search and rescue operations.
According to a statement released by the Office of the Prime Minister and reported by The Kathmandu Post, emergency teams have recovered 95 bodies from the affected zones across the region. Authorities noted that the formal identification process for the deceased is currently ongoing.
The disaster, one of the worst to hit Nepal since the 2015 earthquakes, has dealt a severe blow to security personnel deployed on the ground. A total of 85 security officers, comprising 44 from the Nepali Army, 28 from the Nepal Police, and 13 from the Armed Police Force, are currently unaccounted for.
Around 105 Indians were among the foreign nationals "reported missing" after a flash flood in the Bhote Koshi River in the Rasuwa area of Nepal, the country's Tourism Board said on Wednesday, stating that the information is based on preliminary agency-wise records received from tourism and travel companies. (ANI)