Bihar urges villagers to evacuate as flood waters rise

A flood-affected girl stands with goats on the banks of Kosi river at Kusaha village in Purniya district in Bihar in this August 31, 2008 file photo.

PATNA, India (Reuters) - Authorities fighting floods in Bihar urged thousands of villagers to leave their homes on Saturday after rains caused flood waters to rise.

More than four million people fled their homes after the Kosi river, which originates in Nepal, burst a dam last month and unleashed water downstream in Bihar.

Millions were forced to live on embankments, roads and in overcrowded camps in filthy conditions, making them vulnerable to infections and water-borne diseases in the absence of drinking water, aid agencies say.

Authorities said their biggest worries concerned at least 20,000 people who did not leave their homes, as they wanted to protect their belongings and cattle. Officials said these people ran a risk of getting caught in fresh floods.

"We have appealed to flood victims on the radio, through leaflets and the media to leave as dangers of more floods will remain till October 15," Pratyay Amrit, a senior disaster management official said on Saturday.

Thousands also started returning home after flood waters receded slightly in some areas. "Their numbers may not be much, but it has become our biggest headache", Amrit said.

At least 16 out of 38 districts in Bihar have been hit by the worst floods in 50 years, destroying 100,000 ha (250,000 acres) of farmlands and at least 300,000 homes, officials said.

Police said 13 more bodies were found on Saturday, raising the death toll from floods in Bihar to 143 this year.

Authorities said there could be more people dead as many bodies caught in bushes and groves were being discovered with water receding in some areas.

Across South Asia, at least 1,000 people have drowned or died from house collapses and snake bites since heavy monsoon rains began causing flooding in June.

(For the latest Reuters news on India see: in.reuters.com for blogs see blogs.reuters.com/in/)