Patna, Aug 18 (IANS) The deaths in the Bihar floods rose to nine Monday, said an official who added that nearly 11 lakh people in the state have been affected by floods.

Sunil Kumar, an official of state disaster management department, said so far floods have claimed lives of nine people, of whom six have died in Nalanda district, which is among the worst-hit.

"Around 11 lakh people in 582 villages under 43 blocks have been hit by floods in several districts, including seven lakh in Nalanda," Kumar told IANS over telephone here.

He said major rivers, including Kosi, were flowing above the danger mark at several places.

"Situation remains grim due to rising water level of rivers," he said.

He said so far 37,000 people have been evacuated from flood-hit districts of Saharsa, Supaul, Darbhanga and Gopalganj.

"The department has set up 76 relief camps in these districts," he added.

Earlier, the government sounded a high alert as water level in major rivers in north Bihar, especially the Kosi, Gandak, Kamla Balan and Bagmati, rose following heavy rain in their catchment areas in Nepal.

Over a dozen teams of the National Disaster Response Force and state disaster response force have been deployed in flood-hit districts.

The state disaster management department has asked people living in low-lying areas to move to higher ground.