Home Minister Rajnath Singh takes stock of Uttar Pradesh, Bihar floods

NEW DELHI: As the flood situation in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar remained grim, Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh today reviewed the situation and assured the two states full central assistance.

Singh chaired a meeting of the National Executive Committee on Disaster Management which took stock of the flood situation in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar.

The Home Minister also telephoned chief ministers Akhilesh Yadav (UP) and Jitan Ram Manjhi (Bihar) and assured them full central assistance in rescue and relief operations.

He directed the Committee on Disaster Management to closely monitor the flood situation in the country and provide all assistance to the flood-hit states in their relief and rescue operations.

Representatives of different ministries concerned and agencies also attended the meeting, a Home Ministry official said.

Over 50 people have died in floods in Uttar Pradesh where several rivers breached their embankments, making the situation grim. Floods have claimed ten lives in Bihar.

The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) has deployed 53 teams comprising 2,158 rescuers in flood affected areas in different parts of the country.

The NDRF teams are equipped with boats, divers and other flood rescue related equipment.