Patna, Aug. 20: Chief minister Nitish Kumar today admitted that at least 300 panchayats in the state were affected by floods and directed chief secretary Anup Mukerji to monitor the relief work in the inundated areas.

Nitish had a high- level flood review meeting, which was attended by the chief secretary, water resources minister Vijay Kumar Choudhary, disaster management minister Renu Kumari and principal secretary, water resources, Afzal Amanullah.

The chief minister asked the district magistrates in the affected areas to reach out to the flood victims and carry out the relief work extensively.

Several villages in Supaul, Saharsa, Bhagalpur districts are battling the gush of water from Ganga and Kosi.

The primary reason for the current flooding is heavy rains in hilly areas of Nepal, causing sharp rise in the water level of Kosi. Earlier, the chief minister had carried out aerial surveys in several flood-affected areas of north Bihar.