Patna, Sept 5 : Union Railway Minister Lalu Prasad Yadav on Friday conducts an aerial survey of flood-affected areas of Bihar.

The Minister, who hails from Bihar said that the situation is depressing and accused the Bihar Government for its sloppiness in providing relief to the flood victims.

“The situation is grim and beyond any description. In Nepal there are a lot of relief camps and people have been provided with shelter. But when you come back to Bihar you find no arrangements. There are a lot of areas where still no official has reached. Only the periphery of the flood-affected region is getting some attention but the main areas of the floods are still untouched by the relief workers. They (flood victims) are virtually living by the grace of god. Chief Minister’s claim that people will be evacuated from the flood-affected areas within 72 hours seems hollow,” said Prasad after conducting aerial survey of the flood-hit region.

The flooding, the worst in 50 years, was caused after the Kosi River breached a dam in Nepal. This unleashed huge wave of water that smashed mud embankments downstream in Bihar.

The waters of Kosi, known as Bihar''s ''river of sorrow'' for its regular floods and tendency to change course, gushed into the State inundating vast areas and affecting around two million people.

Over 550,000 people have been affected and more than 150,000 have been evacuated to safer places so far, but there are thousands still marooned and are in need of immediate help. (ANI)