Bihar on the edge: 2 million people may need to be evacuated

capt_mahajan · Aug 28th, 2008, 20:30

Quote:

PURNIA: Nearly 1.2 lakh people in Bihar who were marooned after the Kosi River changed its course due to heavy rains, have been rescued to safer areas, as authorities on Thursday braced for one of the world's biggest evacuations ever.

Quote:

The fury of the 'river of sorrow', which struck east Bihar with a vengeance last week, has marooned over 20 lakh people in 15 districts in one of the worst floods in recent memory with victims from the four worst hit districts of Supaul, Saharsa, Araria and Madhepura accounting for nearly 20 lakh.

Fifty-five people have already lost their lives and the death toll is likely to go up since several areas are inaccessible.

(Bold mine)

Full story HERE

ananda2193 · Aug 28th, 2008, 21:28

Must be that time of the month for Mother Nature.

Nick-H · Aug 28th, 2008, 21:30

Ye gods...

My wife said something about bad news, I thought she was talking about Kashmir and carried on making the tea.

capt_mahajan · Aug 28th, 2008, 22:32

The Kosi river breaching the barrage in Nepal started happening ten days ago. Flooding started soon thereafter.

It is telling that this calamity is starting to get media attention in India only now.

Slotted below the latest bollywood blockbuster on at least one major news channel, as far as I could see today

Edit: quick google, may be better sources out there

Quote:

Patna, Aug 19: A red alert has been sounded in Supaul, Madhepura and Araria districts of Bihar following a breach in the Kosi barrage in Nepal

http://news.oneindia.in/2008/08/19/b...219127460.html

puchoo · Aug 28th, 2008, 22:43

The times of India has been covering it for a few days now... infact . all credit given , they had a massive editorial on it..not the front page , but 3-4th i think..

capt_mahajan · Aug 28th, 2008, 22:46

Yes they did. But the fact that 2 million are going to be homeless (many already are) and that this may be a permanent change of course for the river is ignored.

shashank.aggarwal · Aug 28th, 2008, 23:15

I read in the paper that Locals have been resisting relocation and they did not want to leave their homes. But finally they have come to terms with the gravity of situation and have agreed to be relocated.

capt_mahajan · Aug 28th, 2008, 23:24

The Chief Minister has said, publicly, that they should accept their losses and run.

Two million. Thats probably half the population of many small/sparsely populated European countries.

snonymous · Aug 28th, 2008, 23:35

It is a very serious calamity of great magnitude and most news sites have been covering it for a few days now. The worst part about floods are the epidemics that come later.

There are so many terrible events taking place in India now, as an ordinary person one cannot do anything to alleviate the situation.

Nick-H · Aug 28th, 2008, 23:38

The word 'relocation' worries me.

All too often, a couple of years later, it becomes obvious that governments are apt to forget that it includes not only leaving a place, but also being provided with somewhere else to live.

Of course the Tsunami does not get into the news much these days, but, every few months, the fact that some group of people are still awaiting long-promised housing does.

snonymous · Aug 28th, 2008, 23:42

Yes Nick, you are right.

Even now in Maharashtra, every now and then one comes across a few cases of the Latur earthquake affected people not having got their houses.

brishti · Aug 29th, 2008, 00:18

the shifting river

Quote:

The folklore of Bihar's Mithilanchal, which is among the world's most impoverished regions despite its rich culture, has always been interlaced with the chronicling of the Kosi's changing course.

The first credible mapping of the meandering river was, however, attempted in 1779 by a British surveyor who tracked its course since 1731. Over the past 250 years, the river has shifted about 120km from east to west but the August 18 breach near Kusaha in Nepal is among the most devastating because the Kosi has now moved to the east — taking over a million people by total shock.

nature reminds us who is boss...

Quote:

Every once in a while, nature reminds humans that it is the boss. The Kosi river, which gathers water from some of the highest mountains in the world, including Everest, and enters India in north Bihar, has changed its course and shifted over 120km eastwards, going back to a course it had abandoned more than 300 years ago.

please dont call it a flood...

Quote:

"For God's sake, please don't call it a flood. The description is not just wrong, but it is also fraught with potentially serious consequences for those who view it just as a routine visitation." This was the reaction of an exasperated Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar as he tried to emphasize the enormity of the natural catastrophe in what is among the country's poorest regions.

the army is called

Quote:

With the Kosi river continuing to unleash its fury in Supaul, Araria, Madhepura and Saharsa districts of Bihar bordering Nepal, the Army was on Tuesday called out to help the marooned people.

The Army will work in addition to three IAF helicopters dropping relief materials for the sixth day today.

:brishti

brishti · Aug 29th, 2008, 00:42

<< note to mods: please move this to another thread if so required... but talking of rivers and calamity... i post it here >>>

this time it aint nature...

Quote:

The Yamuna River exists on an ecologically sensitive floodplain which supplies much of Delhi’s drinking water. As Delhi urbanizes and its population quickly grows, water resources are becoming increasingly inadequate. Freshwater is already a scarce commodity in Delhi and further construction on the floodplains will only exacerbate the water crisis. Development along riverbanks has occurred in other cities, however construction on a monsoon-fed and flood-prone river such as the Yamuna will be fatal. It is crucial to save the floodplain to maintain the integrity of the river and ensure we have sufficient water.

and more to go if you want to keep reading...

this is the ps part of the post!

:brishti

Aishah · Aug 29th, 2008, 20:01

Just before watching this on NDTV news - it's an appalling story. Now saying 35 lakh people are to be re-located from 15 affected districts. Deaths so far are 55, which is amazingly low really for the extent of the flooding (I'm thinking of the floods 2 years back in Barmer district where deaths were far more due to villagers having no knowledge of the sudden water rising). The breach in the barrage to the Kosi river is now 1.5km long and it is still raining.
Nepal is also badly affected. A terrible calamity.

k_cborty · Aug 29th, 2008, 20:26

Its one of the biggest natural disaster this Country has faced.

Can we do something from India Mike in terms of contribution at this time.

Any suggestions!

Aug 28th, 2008, 22:43	#5
puchoo Maha Guru Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: New Delhi & Himachal Pradesh (Shimla) Posts: 5,411	The times of India has been covering it for a few days now... infact . all credit given , they had a massive editorial on it..not the front page , but 3-4th i think.. __________________ Cheers! Indiamike Mod team............ puchoo.wordpress.com

Aug 28th, 2008, 23:15	#7
shashank.aggarwal The Fortunate One Join Date: May 2007 Location: Road Posts: 6,820	I read in the paper that Locals have been resisting relocation and they did not want to leave their homes. But finally they have come to terms with the gravity of situation and have agreed to be relocated. __________________ Spineless Travelogue - Around India

Aug 29th, 2008, 20:01	#14
Aishah She-who-must-be-obeyed! Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Jaisalmer Posts: 7,625	Just before watching this on NDTV news - it's an appalling story. Now saying 35 lakh people are to be re-located from 15 affected districts. Deaths so far are 55, which is amazingly low really for the extent of the flooding (I'm thinking of the floods 2 years back in Barmer district where deaths were far more due to villagers having no knowledge of the sudden water rising). The breach in the barrage to the Kosi river is now 1.5km long and it is still raining. Nepal is also badly affected. A terrible calamity. __________________ "Life can only be understood backwards, but it must be lived forwards."

Aug 29th, 2008, 20:26	#15
k_cborty Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Gurgaon Posts: 164	Its one of the biggest natural disaster this Country has faced. Can we do something from India Mike in terms of contribution at this time. Any suggestions! __________________ Yeh Zindagi ek safar hai suhana...

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Aug 28th, 2008, 21:28	#2
ananda2193 Maha Guru Member Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: you essay Posts: 1,904	Must be that time of the month for Mother Nature.

Aug 28th, 2008, 21:30	#3
Nick-H This is just a cameo appearance Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Chennai, India Posts: 36,213	Ye gods... My wife said something about bad news, I thought she was talking about Kashmir and carried on making the tea.

Aug 28th, 2008, 22:46	#6
capt_mahajan Infidel Sufi Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: styx Posts: 13,606	Yes they did. But the fact that 2 million are going to be homeless (many already are) and that this may be a permanent change of course for the river is ignored.

Aug 28th, 2008, 23:24	#8
capt_mahajan Infidel Sufi Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: styx Posts: 13,606	The Chief Minister has said, publicly, that they should accept their losses and run. Two million. Thats probably half the population of many small/sparsely populated European countries.

Aug 28th, 2008, 23:35	#9
snonymous xxx Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Mumbai Posts: 1,749	It is a very serious calamity of great magnitude and most news sites have been covering it for a few days now. The worst part about floods are the epidemics that come later. There are so many terrible events taking place in India now, as an ordinary person one cannot do anything to alleviate the situation.

Aug 28th, 2008, 23:38	#10
Nick-H This is just a cameo appearance Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Chennai, India Posts: 36,213	The word 'relocation' worries me. All too often, a couple of years later, it becomes obvious that governments are apt to forget that it includes not only leaving a place, but also being provided with somewhere else to live. Of course the Tsunami does not get into the news much these days, but, every few months, the fact that some group of people are still awaiting long-promised housing does.

Aug 28th, 2008, 23:42	#11
snonymous xxx Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Mumbai Posts: 1,749	Yes Nick, you are right. Even now in Maharashtra, every now and then one comes across a few cases of the Latur earthquake affected people not having got their houses.

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