Technical Analysis of this year's flood

The Kosi River eroded its
embankment in Nepal about 12 K.M.
up stream of the barrage as a result of
which the embankment breached on
the 18th of August 2008 and the river
started flowing on an entirely new
course. The water spread along the
new course is 15 K.M. wide and is
heading straight down south. More
than 25 lac people and their houses
fall in the path of the new course. The
people along the new course have
taken shelter on whatever high
ground they could find and on roof
tops.
Detailed Report on Bihar Government Disaster Management Website http://disastermgmt.bih.nic.in/Downloads/Koshi-Flood-2008.pdf

Floods in Bihar in Perspective - 2004, See the report Hindu

INGENUITY TO THE FORE: Amid the flood havoc around, this father hauls his two children to safety at Najirpur village of Muzaffarpur district in north Bihar. - Photo: Ranjeet Kumar (Hindu Newspaper)

Work in Progress

People use Banana stems to cross flooded area of Saharabbhati, near Guwahati on Sunday. PTI Photo

PATNA - 310804 - AUGUST 31, 2008 - Patna : Bihar CM Chief Minister Nitish Kumar receives a cheque of rupees five crore from Pankaj Kumar, an IAS officer and representative of Gujarat Government at Patna on Sunday. PTI Photo

Meager Help From United nations and Nepal Aplogises for Help

http://www.officialwire.com/main.php?action=posted_news&rid=72513&catid=846
Need of the hour is large scale help - the way it was done for China Eqrth Quake or Myanamar Cyclone.
Just becasue it is Bihar - will there be only tokenism?

Media Update as on Aug 31

Scale of Operations - http://www.ndtv.com/debate/showdebate.asp?show=1&story_id=479&template=Kosi&category=National

Real Help -While all kind of announcements going on, we need specific help like this http://www.expressindia.com/latest-news/12-rescue-teams-from-state-to-be-flown-to-Bihar/355482/

Where is National Disaster Relief

It has been three days since Prime Minister Announced Floods in Bihar as National Calamity. But what has been the actions? Why can't we have more boats? Why only three Helicopters?

Media: Very good coverage by NDTV and Zee News. But no national debate on this with eminent people being brought and figuring out the best way of corrective and preventive action. Only reporting of misery and extent of catastrophe.

'PRALAY' in Bihar - How can you help

We have a National Calamity at hand that Bihar and the country needs to deal with. Our Chief Minsiter Nitish Kumar is doing his best to fight this calamity. We all know that he is an honest man and is working 16-18 hrs a day to tackle the situation. In this regard, I appeal to all of you to listen to your heart and do what you can do for Bihar. If we do not act fast, we will loose so many people. And if we do not rehabilitate fast - there probably will not be a bigger tragedy in human civilisation of this nature in the recent times. Communication has totally snapped. Whole of North Bihar is reeling under flood as River Kosi is causing havoc in the region. In this picture, a flood-hit damaged railway track is seen near Dinapatti in Madhepura on August 22. (PTI)

There is a very simple method to how you can help

1. Write a cheque to 'Chief Minister Relief Fund, Bihar' A/C No. 10839124928, SBI Patna Secretariat Branch, Patna.
(For donors from Oustside Country)
IFSC for electronic fund transfer: SBIN0000153
Swift Code: SBININBB156
2. Put your Phone number, name and address on the back of the chq.
3. Deposit the chq in the nearest SBI drop box.
4. Tell your friends, wellwishers, fellows countrymen, global citizens to do the same to ensure that this problem gets the same mindshare as Gujrat Earth Quake, Tsunami, Hurricane Katrina or Myanmar Cyclone.
5. Address of Chief Minister Relief Office (in acse you want to send your Chq/DD thru post) :Chief Minister Secretariat4 K.G. Deshratna MargPatna -800001Bihar

We will be publishing additional details of email, phone number to track your donations, website where donors list is being maintained as soon as we find that out. Also as soon as government provides details of how donation can be made thru credit cards or other means we will let you know.
Checkout below the video links put by people in Forbesgunj of North Bihar
http://in.youtube.com/watch?v=skPVkqADBCY&NR=1
http://in.youtube.com/watch?v=TW5ggTb9YOE
http://in.youtube.com/watch?v=TW5ggTb9YOE



Nowhere to go: The picture shows an aerial view of flood affected Purnia in north Bihar on August 22. (PTI).

Hindu Reports as on Aug 28, 2008, Patna: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Thursday undertook an aerial survey of the flood-affected areas in Bihar and announced a relief package of Rs. 1,010 crore.

Dr. Singh declared the floods, caused by a breach in the Kosi embankment displacing over 1.5 million people, a national calamity. He also ordered the release of 1.25 lakh tonnes of foodgrains free of cost for distribution in the flood-hit areas.

Dr. Singh promised all possible help to the State, specifically the worst-hit Supaul, Araria, Madhepura and Saharsa districts. More areas were getting inundated and numerous other embankments were under threat of being breached.

Hopes drowned: One of the worst hit districts is Purnia where houses have been completely submerged . People living here are facing a tough time. (PTI).

Hindu Reports as on Aug 28, 2008, Patna: The situation continued to cause concern with flood waters overflowing NH-107 between Maheshkut and Saharsa, the only available route for transporting Army boats to rescue trapped people. Efforts were under way to protect this vital link. Two more columns of Army boats are expected to arrive.
The top priority is to help out people in Bihpur and adjoining areas. The township faces the threat of being submerged in the new course the river has charted from the breached embankment. Katihar and Purnia districts are also under threat.

BIHARIS HAVE WORKED HARD BUILDING THIS NATION. THEY DESPARATELY NEED YOUR HELP NOW. WHO KNOWS WE MAY TURN THIS CALAMITY INTO AN OPPURTUNITY AND FIX MANY OTHER PROBLEMS OF THIS AREA WITH YOUR SUPPORT!
Time has also come to keep certain things in the back of the mind
1. Why there is no national debate on Bihar's Poverty?
2. Why there is no discussion on per capita investment by central planners for Bihar over several decades?
3. Why there was Freight Equalisation Policy? And how was states like Bihar compensated for the same?
4. Why no investment in Urbanisation of Bihar? Compare the allocation for Delhi with whole of Bihar for this Plan and the subsequent plan?
5. Why no Central University IIM, no IIIT or similar institues? Why even the IIT Patna was not formally inaugurated?
6. Why only a single bridge on 450 km long Ganga in Bihar?
7. Why no National Disaster Relief center in Bihar (nearest being Calcutta and Bhubaneswar)?
8. Why no focus on issues related with water issues with Nepal?
9. Why no investment by public sectors in Bihar?
10. Why no protection and promtion of Bihar's cultural heritages by Tourism Minsitry thru programs like 'Incredible India'?

Check this debate on ndtv http://www.ndtv.com/convergence/ndtv/videopod/default.aspx?id=37077
Official website of Govt of India for Disaster Management http://www.ndmindia.nic.in/ - This webiste has no mention of Bihar Floods (is this a sign of center's apathy for Bihar?).
Official Website of Govt. of Bihar for Disaster Management http://disastermgmt.bih.nic.in/


Disclaimer: I have only taken the responsibility of increasing the awareness about the flood situation in Bihar and about how people can donate to Chief Minister's Relief Fund. Any tracking of donations etc. will need to be taken up directly by individuals or firms directly with Chief Minister's Relief Fund.


For any queries abot this blog - send mails to pralayinbihar@gmail.com