By Phurbu Thinley

Dharamsala, September 1: Terming the floods in Bihar as a “disaster”, the exiled Tibetan leader His Holiness the Dalai Lama has offered prayers for the victims and has sent a donation of Rs. 10 lakhs to the Bihar Government for carrying out relief works in the flood-ravaged areas.

In a letter sent to Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Friday, the Tibetan leader said he was “saddened” by the floods, which have caused havoc on millions of people and their properties in one of the worst disasters to affect the state in 50 years.

“Therefore, I am sending you a donation of Rs. 10 lakhs (Ten lakh rupees) towards relief work as a token of my sympathy and concern over this disaster,” the 1989 Nobel Peace laureate wrote.

“I would also like to offer my prayers for those whose lives have been lost and properties destroyed by the devastating floods,” His Holiness had added in his letter.

According to a latest media report, three million people have been displaced from their homes and at least 90 have been killed since floods began ravaging Bihar, swamping hundreds of villages and destroying some 100,000 ha (250,000 acres) of farmlands.

Flood waters began flowing into Bihar when a dam located on the Kosi River in Nepal burst on August 18th causing the river to breach its embankments and change its course.

“Currently I am in Mumbai undergoing some medical tests as I experienced some discomfort in the past few days,” the revered Tibetan leader, who was discharged from a Mumbai hospital on Monday, four days after he was admitted with abdominal discomfort, wrote in his letter dated August 29.

“The doctors attributed this to fatigue and have assured me that there is no cause for concern. They have advised me to have a good rest,” His Holiness had added in the letter.