PATNA/GUWAHATI/KOLKATA: Heavy rains in the last three days triggered flash floods in parts of Bihar, where 41 people have died so far, and inundated large areas in Assam and north Bengal, paralysing normal life and snapping rail link to the Northeast from the rest of the country.

In Arunachal Pradesh too, the flood situation continued to be grim in several districts with recurring landslides disrupting road traffic.

According to the Bihar Disaster Management Department, nearly two million people have been affected by the floods+ , including thousands who have been forced to flee their homes.

In the last two days, nearly one million people have been displaced in Kishanganj, Araria, Purnea and Katihar districts.

“Thousands were displaced as their villages got inundated,” a Kishanganj district official said.

Other affected districts are Darbhanga, Madhubani, Sitamarhi, Madhepura, Saharsa, Supaul as well as East and West Champaran.

The Bihar State Disaster Management Department has asked people living in low-lying areas to move to higher places as heavy rains continue.

Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar, who conducted an aerial survey of flood-hit areas, told reporters that Araria was the worst effected district+ and water has entered the district headquarters.

Flood waters have engulfed areas in Kisanganj, three blocks of Purnea and one block of Katihar damaging roads.

He said heavy rains in Nepal and Bihar in last three days have led to the situation and the state government is carrying out relief operations in flooded areas on a war-footing.

Forty-one people have died in floods in Bihar so far.

The CM thanked the Centre for prompt response in providing assistance to the state after he telephoned Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday.

Kumar said he also spoke to Union home minister Rajnath Singh and defence minister Arun Jaitley on the flood situation.