One of them is the Dar-ul-um-Rehmani, a madrasa owned by Mohammed Israel Rahim, who also owns the town's most prominent hotel. The madrasa that normally hosts 90 students and seven teachers now holds 700 flood-hit villagers, mostly from Madhepura.
Class rooms meant for 20 toddlers are now bursting with 50 to 60 adults. "The day the breach happened, we sort of knew how big this would be. Our owner immediately got a bunch of us and formed a team. We went to the places which were high enough and fetched people, who began to come in," Mohammed Salahuddin, who manages the hotel, said.
"And they just didn't stop coming. The first day, there were 50 to 70 people. They said some of their fellow villagers are on their way and some are marooned. We have 700 people and our team has gone now to fetch more people who have reached dry land today. For every single person who has reached safety, there are still four marooned behind," Salahuddin said.
They serve snacks and two meals a day: khichdi both times. There are a lot of children in the camp, and keeping them quiet is a problem.
Image: The victims get snacks and two meals of khichdi every day.
Photograph: Krishnakumar
Also read: Kosi's tragedy: Blunder after blunder
Give victims of Bihar's floods hope of a brighter future
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