Patna: Flood relief and rescue operations have been intensified across affected areas of Bihar’s Saran district, with the state government deploying additional disaster-response teams and arranging large-scale supplies of food and emergency materials.
According to the Disaster Management Department, 19 teams of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) are engaged in relief and rescue operations. The deployment has been strengthened as floodwaters continue to enter new areas.
The department said the measures were being undertaken in accordance with the Chief Minister’s directions to ensure prompt assistance to flood-affected residents.
19 NDRF and SDRF Teams Deployed
Saran already had five NDRF teams and three SDRF teams deployed. Additional teams are being sent from several districts to expand rescue operations.
The additional NDRF deployment includes three teams from Bettiah, two from Gopalganj, two from Bhagalpur and one from Supaul.
Four additional SDRF teams are being sent from Madhubani, Darbhanga, Samastipur and East Champaran.
With these deployments, the district will have 12 NDRF teams and seven SDRF teams, taking the total to 19 teams.
Officials are coordinating the deployment according to requirements in flood-affected areas, with the aim of evacuating people to safer locations and delivering essential supplies.
Rescue Teams Equipped With Boats and Safety Gear
The department said each NDRF team has 30 trained personnel, five boats, 30 lifebuoys, 40 life jackets, two deep-diving sets and other rescue equipment.
The 12 NDRF teams operating in Saran account for 360 trained personnel, along with more than 50 boats, 480 life jackets and 360 lifebuoys, according to the release.
The additional SDRF teams are also being deployed with personnel and boats. The teams being sent from Darbhanga, Madhubani, Samastipur and East Champaran have 20, 20, 19 and 18 personnel, respectively.
Together, the SDRF teams are expected to provide more than 140 trained personnel and over 36 boats for relief and rescue operations.
Helicopter Airdrops Deliver Ration Packets
Relief supplies are also being delivered by air to areas where flood conditions may make ground-based distribution difficult.
The department said more than 3,000 ration packets had already been air-dropped using an Air Force helicopter. More than 5,000 packets were scheduled to be air-dropped by the evening of October 2.
In addition, 40,000 ration packets are being sent to Saran from other districts to support affected families.
The district-wise allocation is as follows:
| District | Ration packets |
|---|---|
| Patna | 10,000 |
| Siwan | 15,000 |
| Bhojpur | 5,000 |
| Buxar | 5,000 |
| Vaishali | 5,000 |
| Total | 40,000 |
The supplies are intended to strengthen the availability of essential food items in flood-affected areas.
75,000 Polythene Sheets Being Sent
The state is also arranging 75,000 polythene sheets to provide immediate assistance to flood-affected families.
The sheets are being sent from four districts:
| District | Polythene sheets |
|---|---|
| Darbhanga | 25,000 |
| Madhubani | 20,000 |
| Sitamarhi | 15,000 |
| Samastipur | 15,000 |
| Total | 75,000 |
The material is intended to provide temporary protection to affected households as relief operations continue.
Administration Monitoring Situation
The district administration is monitoring rescue operations, relief-material distribution and the availability of essential services in affected areas.
The Disaster Management Department said additional personnel and supplies would be mobilised according to the evolving flood situation and local requirements.
Residents requiring emergency assistance can contact the State Emergency Operations Centre (SEOC) toll-free helpline at 1070.
