Heavy floods in Bihar have led to losses worth over Rs 150 crore so far in the state and the figure could further rise, a senior government official said.
"About 1.25 lakh hectares of area under various crops has been lost to floods and the total crop loss is estimated to be over Rs 150 crore," a senior official at State Agriculture Department told PTI.
Paddy and maize crops have been washed out completely, he said, adding that pulses, vegetables, and plantation crops such as banana have also been affected.
"The worst-hit areas are Supaul, Araria, Madhepura and Purnea districts," the official said.
The department said that it has estimated the damage on the basis of area under crop and yield levels in the flood-affected districts.
"We have not been able to send our officers to flooded farmlands to assess the crop damage as our prime priority has been to evacuate people to a safe place. Urgent requirement is to get people out of flooded waters. We will think on alternatives to save farmlands later on," the official said.
He added that the estimate of crop loss could go up after the field assessment.
Flood waters started flowing into Bihar when the Kosi river, which flows from Nepal into India, burst its banks two weeks ago. Flood waters ruined homes and poured over acres of farmland.
The Kosi is one of the world's most destructive waterways on the account of its heavy silt deposits caused by its mountainous course in Tibet and Nepal and simultaneous rapid average water speed.
Agriculture experts, however, fear that the Rabi crop may get washed out completely if the salty silt accumulates in agriculture lands.
