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Bihar Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary said the flood situation in the state was gradually stabilising after authorities took stock of water levels and the impact of flooding in vulnerable areas following the flash floods in neighbouring Nepal.
Choudhary said he personally reviewed the situation up to Valmiki Nagar and maintained that the situation in the state was now stable. "We have taken a complete stock of the flood situation, and by the grace of God, almost everything is stabilising. We went all the way to Valmiki Nagar to inspect. Now things are gradually getting better. There doesn't seem to be any trouble with the water levels anymore," he said. The Chief Minister said the state government had remained in constant contact with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah amid concerns over the amount of water flowing downstream. "There has been continuous contact with the Prime Minister and the Home Minister. They were constantly concerned about Bihar because we weren't able to figure out how much water there was... We are stable," Choudhary said. The flash floods in Nepal have triggered concern across several Indian states because of the potential impact of downstream water flows and the presence of Indian nationals in the affected areas. BJP MP Rajiv Pratap Rudy, speaking from Patna, described the disaster in Nepal as extremely tragic and said the scale of the natural calamity made it difficult to predict or prevent its impact. "The tragedy that occurred in Nepal due to cloudbursts in China or Tibet is extremely heartbreaking, and it is a natural disaster. The science that talks about cloudbursts in the world, perhaps no such science has been developed yet that can predict cloudbursts..." Rudy said. He added that the reported casualties and missing persons made the incident a major tragedy. "Thousands of people are missing; many have died. This is a very major tragedy..." he said. Meanwhile, Union Minister Sanjay Seth, speaking from Ranchi, also expressed concern over the disaster, saying the situation had escalated from what began as a glacier burst. "The natural disaster that struck Nepal yesterday is heartbreaking. Hundreds of people are still missing, and what began as a glacier burst has turned into a massive catastrophe. We can only pray that those who are missing are safe and sound," Seth said. He also highlighted India's response to humanitarian emergencies and said the country's armed forces are prepared to assist during natural disasters. "Prime Minister Narendra Modi immediately spoke with the Nepalese leadership, and the Indian armed forces don't just fight wars. Whenever a natural disaster strikes in the country or in the neighbouring region, our soldiers spring into action right away..." he said. The disaster in Nepal has prompted heightened vigilance in neighbouring Indian states, particularly along river systems connected to Nepal. Authorities in Bihar have been monitoring water levels and downstream flows, while government agencies and diplomatic channels continue efforts to trace missing Indian nationals. The United States and the World Health Organization (WHO) have extended support and expressed solidarity with Nepal following devastating flash floods and mudslides, with Washington announcing USD 500,000 in assistance and the WHO dispatching emergency medical supplies. The death toll in Nepal has reached 389, with 977 people reported to remain missing following the Bhote Koshi flood in Nepal's Rasuwa district, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority (NDRRMA) said in its latest status report released on Thursday. Of the 977 people reported missing, 517 are foreign nationals, and 127 are Nepali citizens living abroad who had come to Nepal to visit. (ANI)
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