Patna: For families of Sabalpur Diara in Vaishali, leaving home was no longer a choice as rising floodwaters swallowed houses, roads and fields. By Thursday, more than 200 families had reached Patna’s Law College, many with children, belongings and livestock, hoping to find safety.But several displaced residents said they found little relief, alleging inadequate arrangements for shelter, food and other basic facilities.Akansha Kumari, 19, arrived from Sabalpur Diara with members of her family and 12 children. “There was no arrangement left for us there. The water is continuously rising in the village, so we came here to save our lives,” she told TOI.“Water is flowing over the roof of our house. We had to leave everything behind to save our lives. We came out by boat, completely soaked, and somehow reached here,” Akansha said.Her family owns around 40 cattle and other livestock, including cows, buffaloes and goats. Unable to take them all in one trip, her husband and brother-in-law returned to bring the animals to safety.Arun Mistry, 45, a daily-wage labourer, reached Patna with his family of seven. “Everything has been flooded. All the houses and huts are under water. We came here by boat because there was no other way to get out,” he said.Babloo Kumar Rai, 30, said around 200 families had fled the area. “I have ferried over 30 families, including my own family of five, from Sabalpur Diara to Patna on my boat,” he said.Kanchan Devi, 56, said the families left behind everything they had built. “No food, and water to drink. The children were hungry and crying. We finally managed to get a boat and reached Patna,” she said.For the displaced families, escaping the flood has brought safety, but uncertainty over their homes, livestock and future remains.
