Home Minister reviews flood situation; directs officers to provide assistance

New Delhi: Union Home Minister Amit Shah chaired a high-level meeting on Saturday to review the current flood situation in different parts of the country and preparedness of the states and Central ministries concerned to deal with the situation.

After reviewing the meeting, Shah directed the senior officers to take every possible measure to deal with the situation arising out of South-West Monsoon in the country and to extend all necessary assistance to the flood-affected states.

India Metrological Department (IMD) officers told Shah that during the last 3-4 days, Assam and Bihar have received extremely heavy downpour. Heavy rainfall is expected in these two states during the next 48 hours.

Director General of National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) apprised that 73 NDRF teams have been pre-positioned in vulnerable areas of flood affected states along with all necessary equipment.

These teams are in addition to the teams kept on alert at battalion headquarter and Regional Response Centers (RRC). NDRF teams have also rescued about 750 persons in Assam and Bihar.

Central Water Commission (CWC) informed that Brahmaputra, Beki, Jiabharali, Katakhal and Barak rivers in Assam and Kamla, Bagmati, Mahananda, Gandak rivers in Bihar are flowing above a danger mark. Following which, both IMD and CWC are issuing forecast bulletins at regular intervals.

Control rooms in MHA, NDRF, IMD and CWC are keeping a close watch on the situation on round the clock basis.

Nityanand Rai, Minister of State for Home Affairs said that Shah has directed the Disaster Management Department to stay in touch with the flood-prone states and take up necessary measures and remain alert to deal with floods.