Millions affected as floods strike Bihar

PATNA:

Flooding in India's eastern Bihar state has affected nearly five million people, officials said on Tuesday, as aid was being sent to the worst-hit areas.

Bihar is among India's most flood-prone states, and all seven of its key rivers measured above their "danger level" on Tuesday after heavy rain, according to the state water resources department.

"Food, clean drinking water, medicines, and other essential facilities are being continuously provided to the needy families," Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Kumar Chaudhary said in a statement.

Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary said 7,000 rupees ($72) each had been transferred to more than 827,000 flood-affected families in the state.

Nearly five million people have been affected by the floods, according to figures from Bihar's Disaster Management Department.

The government's "priority is that every affected family gets flood relief and reconstruction work is done with a spirit of building back better", Choudhary said in a statement.