VZCZCXRO2226
PP RUEHBI RUEHCI RUEHCN
DE RUEHCI #0233 2181150
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 061150Z AUG 07
FM AMCONSUL KOLKATA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 1629
INFO RUEHNE/AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI PRIORITY 1546
RUEHCG/AMCONSUL CHENNAI 0689
RUEHBI/AMCONSUL MUMBAI 0687
RUEHKA/AMEMBASSY DHAKA 0448
RUEHKT/AMEMBASSY KATHMANDU 0455
RUEHCN/AMCONSUL CHENGDU 0092
RUEHGO/AMEMBASSY RANGOON 0301
RUEHIL/AMEMBASSY ISLAMABAD 0368
RUEHBUL/AMEMBASSY KABUL 0056
RUEHLM/AMEMBASSY COLOMBO 0178
RUEHC/USAID WASHDC
RUEHPH/CDC CDC ATLANTA GA
RUEHRC/DEPT OF AGRICULTURE USD FAS WASHINGTON DC
RUEIDN/DNI WASHINGTON DC
RHHJJPI/PACOM IDHS HONOLULU HI
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHINGTON DC
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK NY
RUEHUNV/USMISSION UNVIE VIENNA 0017
RUEHCI/AMCONSUL KOLKATA 2001

UNCLAS KOLKATA 000233 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: EAID EAGR MARR PREF IN
SUBJECT: BIHAR SUFFERS WORST FLOOD IN THREE DECADES WITH 77 DEATHS 
AND 11 MILLION AFFECTED 
 
REF: A) KOLKATA 201  B) KOLKATA 230   C) KOLKATA 231 
 
¶1. (U) SUMMARY:  As of August 6, flood conditions in the East 
Indian state of Bihar remain serious, with a rising toll of now 
77 deaths.  However, water levels are stabilizing.  The Indian 
Army and Air Force are supporting state government's relief and 
rescue efforts.  Bihar officials say there is no shortage of 
food and dry rations but they are receptive to humanitarian aid, 
urging civil society organizations to help with non-food relief 
material. END SUMMARY. 
 
¶2. (U) Bihar is experiencing what has been described as the 
worst monsoon flooding in three decades.  According to estimates 
by Bihar's Disaster Management department, 11 million of Bihar's 
82 million people have been affected by this year's rains and 
floods.  These 11 million mostly reside in rural, northern Bihar 
districts and areas: Muzaffarpur, Madhubani, Sitamarhi, Saharsa, 
West Champaran, East Champaran, Supaul, Darbhanga, Patna, 
Nalanda, Bhagalpur, Banka, Katihar, Samastipur, Seohar, 
Khagaria, Gopalganj, Madhepura, Araria and Begusarai. 
 
¶3. (U) Bihar's Disaster Management Department told Post that 77 
people have been confirmed dead, up from 24.  The flooding 
rivers have destroyed at least one million hectares of crops. 
Initial estimates put the crop loss at about USD 25 million. 
Over 71,000 homes have also been damaged.  Bihar Chief Minister 
Nitish Kumar has offered USD 100 to compensate affected farmers. 
 
¶4. (U) The local government response generally has been timely, 
but the magnitude of the problem has stretched its resources. 
The Indian Army and Indian Air Force (IAF) are supporting the 
state government.  Since August 4, four IAF helicopters have 
been average 14 sorties a day, supplying dry rations to areas 
like Darbhanga, Madhubani and Motihari - these areas have few 
suitable roads for heavy vehicle traffic.  IAF is also operating 
in the Begusarai and Samastipur areas. 
 
¶5. (SBU) A Senior Bihar government official told Post that the 
flooding this year was "Unprecedented, but the state machinery 
is fully and effectively functional."  He believed that there 
was no immediate need for relief materials beyond what the GOI 
has already provided but he would welcome NGOs providing 
medicines and medical supplies soon after the water recedes to 
combat anticipated disease and illness. 
 
¶6. (U) Indian Federal Home Minister Shivraj Patil and UPA 
Chairperson Sonia Gandhi are scheduled to tour the flood ravaged 
areas to make an assessment of the conditions. 
 
¶7. (U) COMMENT:  Eastern India's persistent cycle of annual 
flooding repeatedly devastates the region's population and its 
economic and social development.  This year's floods, while 
unusual in the scale of the destruction, are all to predictable. 
 Bihar will continue to remain one of India's poorest state 
while no sustained effort is made to address the problem of 
seasonal floods. 
 
JARDINE