Floods continue to affect normal life in Patna

All schools and colleges in Patna remained shut today, as floodwaters swamped low-lying areas and entered buildings following incessant rains, which has been lashing the region for the past three days.

Patna, Aug 16 : All schools and colleges in Patna remained shut today, as floodwaters swamped low-lying areas and entered buildings following incessant rains, which has been lashing the region for the past three days.

Road users were the worst hit, with floodwater logged on several arterial roads, throwing transport out of gear after the city received 166.7mm of rain in the past 24 hours.

Residents complain they are battling waterborne diseases.

"Our life has become difficult. We are witnessing this for the first time in the last fifteen years. Our children have fallen sick. There are snakes and scorpions everywhere. We cannot eat properly. The food tastes like poison. We appeal to the government to solve this problem as soon as possible," said Madhu Nikhil, a local.

"It has been like this since for the past few days, water is logged everywhere. Children can't go to schools; school are closed," said Kashinath Singh, another resident.

The death toll from flooding in eastern India rose by at least 18 to reach 260. More people were marooned due to fresh rains in the region.

Officials said 15 million people were affected in floods in 19 districts of Bihar.

Floods have damaged standing crops worth rupees 2.68 billion, houses worth rupees 1.05 billion and public property worth 430 million rupees so far.

Train services in the state were also affected, as railway tracks in some parts were washed away in floods.

The latest bout of monsoon flooding, which began about three weeks ago, has affected about 30 million people across the country.

ANI