8 more deaths as Bihar flood toll rises to 213

Floods in Bihar claimed eight more lives today taking to 213 the toll this season even though waters in majority of the rivers in the state were receding.
The national capital endured a sultry day with the mercury settling at 35 degrees Celsius, a notch above normal for this time of the year while humidity levels oscillated between 93 and 69 per cent.
"The maximum temperature was recorded at 35 degrees Celsius while the minimum settled at 25 degrees Celsius, both a notch above normal," a MeT official said.
West Bengal capital Kolkata, which received scanty rainfall despite an overcast sky, recorded maximum temperature of 31.8 degree Celsius, a notch below average even as the Met department forecast heavy rain in five districts of south Bengal tomorrow.

Maximum temperatures in Punjab and Haryana hovered close to normal level at most places. The weatherman has predicted that the weather is likely to remain dry in the the two states tomorrow.
In Bihar, fresh casualties were reported from Vaishali district on the other side of the Ganga from Patna, the state disaster management department said in a statement.

Flood conditions continued to prevail in 12 districts including Patna. A total of 79 blocks and 613 panchayats are inundated at present. The floods have affected 40.60 lakh people in 2,190 villages.
About 3.17 lakh people have been evacuated from the flood-hit Buxar, Bhojpur, Patna, Vaishali, Saran, Begusarai, Samastipur, Lakhisarai, Khagaria, Munger, Bhagalpur and Katihar districts.

The government has deployed 2,973 boats for evacuation while national and state disaster response forces have already been deployed in the affected districts.
With the flood situation easing, the number of relief camps have come down to 181 where 1.15 lakh people continue to take shelter.