Ranchi/Jamshedpur: Incessant rains lashing Jharkhand for the past four days have claimed 11 lives so far, besides affecting normal life in at least seven districts of the state.
Officials said four persons died when the ambulance carrying them from Palamau district to a Ranchi hospital was washed away in swelling Koel river in Lohardaga in the wee hours today.
Four others died in Ranchi district, two in Ramgarh, and one each in Bokaro and Khunti districts died due to rain- related incidents since yesterday, sources said.
The Jharkhand government announced compensation of Rs 4 lakh to the family members of each person died in the rain.
The government also decided to provide compensation to the injured according to the severity of the injury.
Compensation would also be provided for death of cattle and damage of houses.
An official release said the rains lashed the districts of Ranchi, Hazaribag, Khunti, East and West Singhbhum, Seraikela-Kharswan and Lohardaga till July 25.
There could be more rains in parts of Ranchi, Khunti, West Singhbhum, Simdega, Lohardaga, Gumla and Latehar.
Chief Minister Raghubar Das took stock of the situation and asked the officials to keep vigil on all the dams in the state.
He also directed the officials to ensure proper medical facilities in the affected rural and urban areas.
Damaged roads and bridges be repaired at the war footing so that traffic would not be affected, Das said.
A Jamshedpur report said Kharkhai and Swarnarekha were flowing above the danger mark, though the situation has improved in and around the steel city.
—PTI