Patna: Flood situation turned grim on Tuesday as the swelling rivers broke more embankments, inundating new areas and affecting around seven million population across 13 districts. Floods have so far killed 61 people although unofficial reports put the toll at more than 90 in the past two days.

The situation is indeed alarming in the eastern region — the area reporting maximum number of casualties. Although many districts are reeling from floods, the condition is worse in Araria, Supaul and Kishanganj districts where three to four feet of water has entered the town, forcing the resident to take shelter on rooftops or flee homes.

Many villagers have complained they are surviving on meagre food as they have not been provided any relief by officials. Also they are finding it hard to arrange for a bottle of potable water as all the hand pumps or bore wells in homes are submerged in floodwaters.

“We are condemned to live amid the floodwaters. Our ration has run short and we are surviving on little amount of dry food. Also we don’t have water to drink,” complained the villagers in Araria town when a news channel reporter reached them on Tuesday.

In nearby Kishanganj district, many villagers were seen taking shelter on the road and collecting grains strewn on the road to use them as food. “I have no option. Will wash and cook to serve it to my children. How will we survive if we ignore them as dirty foodstuffs?” a villager asked.

The rising floodwaters have prompted villagers to flee homes, leaving behind food stuffs and other precious goods. Many have taken shelter on the river embankments but they too have not proved safe as they also are getting washed away under the impact of swirling river water. This was reported from Katihar district where water entered fresh areas after turbulent Mahananda river broke its embankments at some three places.

Although the authorities have deployed four columns of Indian army, 22 teams of NDRF and 15 teams of SDRF, the water current and inclement weather are proving to be the major hurdle. “The flood situation is really grim and it will take at least a week time to improve,” water resources minister Rajiv Ranjan Singh told the media on Tuesday.

Authorities claim to have evacuated 182,420 people so far. The government has also opened 254 relief camps where 45,120 people are currently taking shelter.

Many villagers are still trapped and have sent distress messages to the authorities to help them. As per a report received from the Disaster Management Department, villagers from Madhubani district today sent a distress message to save them.

Authorities received another distress call from five government hospital staff trapped on the roof of a hospital in Benipatti block of Madhubani district. Authorities ordered for their evacuation by helicopter as there was no other option to help them.

Army has already been deployed in various part of Bihar to speed up relief and rescue operation as the flood situation across the state has worsened. Floods have displaced some seven million populations, damaged hundreds of homes and destroyed standing crops across 13 districts of the state, thanks to powerful monsoon in Bihar and incessant rains in catchment area of Nepal.

Floods have also disrupted road and rail connectivity as many roads and railway lines have got flooded. Finding the situation serious, railways have cancelled around 40 trains on various routes of Bihar. TV grabs showed the gushing floodwaters washing away soil from the railway tracks in East Champaran district.

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar Tuesday conducted an aerial survey of the flood-hit areas and promised all help to the marooned villagers.