Of floods, 30 jailbirds and freedom

For most of the people in Bihar floods are a curse.

But for 30 prisoners of the Darbhanga jail it proved to be a blessing. All of them escaped when flood waters entered their jail premises.

Police sources said the jail inmates first took shelter on the roof top to save themselves. Then taking advantage of the chaos and panic created by the rising waters escaped.

Over seven million people have been affected by the severe floods in Bihar . Major parts of northern and eastern Bihar bordering Nepal are inundated.

The death toll mounted to 41 on Wednesday with 11 more deaths being reported from East Champaran and Darbhanga districts during the last 24 hours.

In Darbhanga itself, three persons were swept away by strong currents at Neuri village in Beraul block

While Sitamarhi district accounted for the highest number of deaths (18), followed by East Champaran (8), Sheohar (7), Darbhanga (3), Supaul and Madhepura (two each) and Saharsa (1).

Flood waters have also entered Muzaffarpur, Sitamarhi, Madhubani, Seohar and Supaul.