The tiny homes of the very poor residents of Bihar are still underwater weeks after the flood.

The Kosi River is considered a goddess by some and a curse by others. Retired school teacher Nitish Yadav has now seen the worst the river has to offer and has come to an important conclusion.

"The Kosi River will not be worshipped anymore," he said.

Nitish lost his entire family in August when the river broke through a dam and swept away his home. The raging river cut a new path through Bihar, creating a trail of human suffering and devastation along the way.

When the water reached Nitish's village, 15 members of his family scrambled to the upstairs terrace of a two-story building. His neighbors joined them, and soon, there were 100 people crammed into the space. The water kept rising and the people ended up on the roof for seven days. Nitish knew they could not continue in their situation so he went out in search of help.

"I'm going to search for a boat, and if I don't come back then you'll know that I've died," he told his family.

Hundreds of children in the relief camps lost their parents in the flood, so they are now orphans.

Nitish tried to swim but got washed away in the heavy current and was knocked unconscious. Strangers found him floating in the water and pulled him to safety. He regained consciousness three hours later and was able to get a boat. But when he finally made it back to his family, they were gone. The building was completely submerged.

Nitish lost his wife, his children, his grandchildren and his wife's family that day. Gospel for Asia missionary Premal Lokprakash visited Nitish in a relief camp and prayed with him. This grandfather clung to Premal and cried.

"I am so thankful to you all for the Christian love you have shown towards us," Nitish told the missionary. "Jesus has comforted me."

Common Stories of Tragic Losses

Tragic losses, like Nitish's, have been repeated thousands of times in Bihar. An estimated 150,000 people died in the floods. Their decaying bodies, along with the carcasses of farm animals, are scattered throughout the countryside. The destruction left many areas of Bihar unrecognizable.

"Many of the villages have been completely ruined and became a channel for the river to flow," said Sunil Aroro, a GFA correspondent in Bihar. "Houses are collapsed and decaying dead bodies of cattle and men are scattered around the bamboo bushes. We had to cover our face due to the foul smell. Some of the blocks and villages are still under water."

Premal describes the current situation as "heartbreaking."

The floods washed out roads in Bihar, making travel impossible.

Counting the Dead

Madhur Bhushen, a believer who worships at a local church, found himself trapped in the town of Muraliganj when the floods hit. He spent seven days on the roof of a building with a few other Christians. While the flood waters surged around them, they counted 5,000 dead bodies floating by. When they were finally able to come down, the building where they had taken refuge was literally surrounded by corpses.

Madhur said one of the bodies stands out in his mind. It was that of an elderly woman who was clinging to three children who were also dead.

Rampant Wickedness

Premal said the flood brought out the wickedness in many people's hearts. He learned that some people used the disaster as a way to rid themselves of their daughters. There were reports of people selling their little girls for as little as 2,000 rupees (US$41.38). Others left their daughters behind to care for their homes, knowing that they would drown.

Some people are pretending to be aid workers, putting people into boats and then stealing from them. If the rescued people refuse or don't have anything to give the thieves, they are dumped overboard to drown in the flood water.

There are even reports of military officials raping women. Looting is a problem both in the villages and in the relief camps.

Gospel for Asia missionaries visit some believers from their churches at a relief camp in Bihar.

Problems Multiplying

In addition to the lawlessness, survivors are facing a multitude of other problems. Many were killed by poisonous snakes that were washed out of their natural habitats, and others are dying from waterborne disease.

GFA Compassion Services relief teams are trying to get in to distribute aid, but their efforts are being rebuffed by the government. The authorities fear that if the people get help in the camps, they may refuse to go back to their villagers, and that disease will spread in the camps. Premal and Sunil said the relief camps are already rife with disease and suffering. More than 1,500 people have died from the disease in the camps.

The survivors do not have good long-term prospects. They lost all their possessions. Their farm land is now covered in sand and silt and cannot be cultivated. The animals they relied on for their agricultural pursuits were washed away in the water.

"It will take at least another six months to one year for the recovery," Premal warned.

GFA Missionaries in Bihar shared the following prayer requests.

  • Pray for the most affected districts of Madhepura, Purnea, Supaul, Araria and Katihar.
  • There are many new Christians in the area where the floods took their greatest toll. They are now struggling with their faith. Pray that they would remain faithful.
  • Pray for the relief work, that the teams will be able to get into the areas where help is most needed and that they will be safe as they travel.