Araria: Ahead of arrival of monsoon, district administration has started preparations to combat flood in the district.Araria DM Anil Kumar said 14 flood relief centres have been prepared and allotted to the COs of the flood-prone blocks.

Besides this, as many as 292 highland shelters and 305 kitchen points have been identified that would function during the flood time, the DM said.Araria civil surgeon Dr K K Kashyap said 35 ambulances are available with the health department and necessary medicines have been arranged for the people. He added that 53 mobile teams have been prepared to address the health concerns of the people during the flood time.According to assistant disaster management officer Mirtunjay Kumar, out of five anti-land erosion schemes, two of them have been completed.

He said flood prone zones have already been identified. All the departmental heads of the district have been strictly asked to remain on alert mode to combat flood situations, the DM said. The DM said the govt has decided to pay Rs 7,000 to each flood-hit person and Rs 4 lakh to dependants of the deceased killed during the flood, he said.