PM Modi takes stock of flood situation, talks to CMs

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and home minister Rajnath Singh spoke to the chief ministers of the five states hit by floods — Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Rajasthan — to take stock of the prevailing situation and assure full support from the Centre in relief and rescue operations.

Mr Modi, expressing concern over the deteriorating flood situation in the five states, later said in two tweets, “I pray for the safety & well being of those in areas affected by floods in parts (of) UP, Bihar, Uttarakhand, Rajasthan & MP... Centre assures total support in the rescue & relief operations. I hope the situation in the affected areas normalises at the earliest.”

The chief ministers of briefed the home minister on the flood situation and operations carried out by National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and State Disaster Response Forces.

“I assured the chief ministers of full co-operation from the Centre in the flood mitigation drive launched by the states,’’ the home minister said.

The home ministry, through the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), is already carrying out a massive rescue operation in the flood-hit states. The NDRF has so far rescued more than 26,400 people from flood-hit areas.

The NDRF has so far sent 56 rescue and relief teams to the flood ravaged states and assigned two deputy inspector general-rank officers in Bihar and Uttar Pradesh to constantly monitor the situation.

In addition to rescuing people, NDRF has also provided medical treatment to more than 9,100 people in these states.