Kosi flood threat: People would rather swim holding tails of buffaloes than evacuate

Supual (Bihar): One of the major problem coming in the way of evacuation of people from Kosi area in view of threat of flood from Nepal is to convince people to move out. Commandant of NDRF Vijay Sinha told PTI that in the 25-30 villages in Bhatiyahi, in the bed of Kosi river, the main problem they are facing is to break the rigidity of the people in not leaving their homes. [caption id=“attachment_1649391” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  Villagers move with their belongings and cattle to relief camps at Supaul district in Bihar. Reuters[/caption] “After many rounds of request many of them have send their children and women with us but themselves are staying back with their cattle at the home,” Sinha said. “They say they will swim through the danger when water will come by holding tail of their buffalo,” he said. “They say they have successfully practised it (swimming in the river water holding tail of buffalo) in the past as flood is a regular feature in this part of the world,” the NDRF Commandant said narrating his strange experience. With people mainly male still staying back, NDRF has stationed boat to meet any emergency. “We have deployed our personnel who know Maithli language for better communication with locals and convince them in their own language,” Sinha said. “I myself tried convince an elderly man to come with me but he refused saying he will swim holding tail of his buffalo when the water will reach the village,” the NDRF commandant, marshalling nearly 400 personnel of his battalion with headquarters at Bihta in Bihar, said. PTI