PATNA: Authorities battling a massive deluge in eastern India issued public warnings yesterday of more floods to come and asked villagers not to return home from temporary shelters yet.

Water levels receded slightly this week in some parts of Bihar state, which is facing its worst flooding in 50 years, but officials warned the flooding was a long way from improving.

Millions are now living on embankments, roads and in overcrowded camps in filthy conditions, making them extremely vulnerable to infections and water-borne diseases in the absence of drinking water, aid agencies say. Many people were trying to return to salvage what was left of their homes, while tens of thousands were resisting evacuation efforts because they were afraid their homes would be looted.

Eighteen days after floods hit the state, thousands of people are still trapped and delay in their evacuation is giving sleepless nights to officials.

“It is a big task to evacuate all those who are reluctant and refuse to move out to safe places,” said an official of the state disaster management department here. The turbulent Kosi River continues to pose a threat to lives of people still trapped in Bihar’s worst floods in over 50 years.

In view of this fear, the state government has appealed to all people, who have refused to move out of their homes, to evacuate immediately. The government made a fresh appeal after army personnel and other officials involved in evacuation informed that hundreds of marooned people were not ready to move to safe places.

“Hundreds of people said that they do not want to be evacuated and made it clear that they want to stay back in the worst flood hit districts of Madhepura, Supaul and Saharsa,” said Pratyay Amrit, additional commissioner of disaster management department.

Brig P.S. Rathi, commandant of Bihar Regimental Center here, said he was shocked when people refused to accompany the rescue team to a safer place and only wanted food.