Bihar flood: Man dies after relief material allegedly falls on him during air-drop

A flood-hit resident of Bihar’s Saran district died on Friday while waiting to collect relief material being air-dropped from a helicopter, police said.

While some residents of Parshurampur village said the man was injured after relief material fell on him, others said he died of a heart attack.

Police said the exact cause of death would be established after a post-mortem examination.

Police also said another person was injured after being hit by portions of a structure that was blown away by the downdraft caused by the relief helicopter.

The deceased was identified as 58-year-old Anil Kumar Singh, also known as Appu Singh. A large number of villagers have been affected by flooding in the Gandak River, and dry ration was being dropped from a helicopter for them, officials said.

Amnour SHO Vimlesh Kumar told The Indian Express that one person had died and another was injured. He said it was not yet clear whether the deceased died after relief material fell on him or suffered a heart attack.

“The deceased’s body has no external injury marks,” Kumar said, adding that local residents had given two accounts of the incident.

“Some said relief material dropped from the helicopter had fallen on Singh, while others said the material landed nearby and Singh died of a heart attack. The body has been sent for post-mortem. The report will clarify why he died,” he added.

The SHO said the helicopter was flying at a low altitude and that its downdraft also blew away tin sheds and other nearby structures.

“One person was hit by the material and sustained injuries,” he said.

The injured person received preliminary treatment near the relief camp and was subsequently taken to Amnour Hospital. His injuries were not severe, according to Kumar.

170 villages hit by flood

The incident occurred as the district administration stepped up relief operations amid widespread flooding.

According to officials, floods have affected 170 villages in 33 panchayats across six blocks of Saran, impacting around 3.32 lakh people and 75,286 families. So far, 43,400 people have been moved to safer locations.

Fourteen relief centres are sheltering around 40,000 people, while 46 community kitchens have provided meals to 50,550 people. Some 2,540 boats are operating in affected areas and 2,650 food and dry-ration packets have been distributed.

Twenty medical camps and five mobile medical teams are providing healthcare, while eight veterinary camps have treated 370 animals.

The administration has also reported the distribution of 153.5 quintals of animal fodder. Forty-eight NDRF and SDRF teams are currently engaged in rescue and relief work, with 11 additional teams due to arrive.

District officials claimed that health teams also helped facilitate four safe deliveries among pregnant women in flood-affected areas, while three other pregnant women were rescued and moved to safety with the help of SDRF and NDRF teams.

Meanwhile, the Water Resources Department has intensified night patrolling of embankments affected by the Gandak flash flood and increased water pressure.

Officials have been instructed to monitor seepage, erosion and other damage, with flood-fighting preparations strengthened at vulnerable locations, including Revaghat.

The air-drop operation began a day earlier on the instructions of chief minister Samrat Choudhary after the Saran administration sought additional ration packets.

According to sources, a helicopter was arranged from Gorakhpur to deliver the packets to flood-affected areas.