INDIA - Nearly five million people have been affected by flooding in Bihar, one of India's most flood-prone states.

All seven of its major rivers rose above danger level after heavy rain, and this month's floods have reportedly killed 20 people while submerging large areas of farmland. The situation follows deadly flooding in neighboring Nepal, which lies upstream. State officials say relief efforts are underway: food, clean water, and medicine are being distributed; 13 relief camps, over 1,000 community kitchens, and nearly 1,800 boats have been deployed. The chief minister says 7,000 rupees ($72) has been transferred to more than 827,000 affected families, and Prime Minister Narendra Modi has sent a federal team to assess damages. Residents described dire conditionssome sheltering on rooftops, drinking dirty water, and struggling for food and milk for their children. One laborer said he'll run out of savings and go hungry if the flooding continues. As one resident put it, "Flood is our fate, every year we face it." (Bssnews)