Patna: The incessant rainfall in catchment areas of Nepal has created a flood-like situation in as many as ten districts of Bihar. The heavy discharge of water from the Gandak barrage at Valmikinagar has resulted in the rise of water levels of several rivers which include Gandak, Bagmati, Kamla Balan, Kosi, Pandai and many more.
Last evening 3.15 lakh cusecs water was discharged into Gandak river due to which the water level of aforesaid rivers has crossed the danger mark at several points in the districts. Met department and the central water commission (CWC) have already issued warnings for the heavy rainfall and flood prediction respectively.
In Khagaria district Kosi and Bagmati rivers are above danger level whereas the Mahananda river is above danger level at four places in Katihar district. In East Champaran district the water of Budhi Gandak river is increasing fast at Sugauli and Banjariya.
Several rivers at the Kosi, Seemanchal and East Bihar are touching the danger level. In Nepal 300 MM rainfall was recorded in several areas due to which Kamla Balan and Bagmati river's water level is increasing continuously.
In Jainagar and Jhanjharpur, Kamla Balan has crossed the danger level. In the last 12 hours, the Mahananda river is flowing above the danger mark at Dabhol and Kursela. Many panchayats in the low-lying blocks are inundated in several districts.
Many villages have gone under water at Piprasi block near Gandak Diara in Bagha, West Champaran district. The affected villagers are forced to shift to safer places. Many families have been displaced in the areas and are facing the problem of food and shelter. Around half a dozen villages at the Indo-Nepal border have submerged. The affected families are living in makeshift homes using plastics.
However, executive engineer Subodh Kumar Choudhary of the water resources department at Bagha said that all embankments are safe at present. Similarly in the Gopalganj district, the flash flood has made life miserable at Sadar Block. Water has entered around 200 houses at Makdusdpur village causing problems of food and shelter. The water level of the Bhutaha Balan river in the Madhubani district is continuously showing a rising trend.
While speaking to ETV Bharat over the phone, water resources department minister Sanjay Jha said, “Round the clock monitoring is taking place at all embankments of the state. One engineer has been deployed at every one km of the stretch and mobile units apart from ambulances have been put on alert for an eventuality. We have widely published the helpline number 18003456145 in all the flood-prone areas and response is immediate. Executive engineers are camping in the areas where the chances of seepage are most. Night patrolling at the embankment is also taking place and I also go for night patrolling as a surprise check.”
He further said, “We also have an early warning system through which we can know the heavy rainfall 5 hours in advance and accordingly preventive measures are taken. The executive engineer contacts the local administration and informs them about the advance arrangements to deal with the situation. Everything is not in our hands until the high-rise dam is built at Nepal side because every year Bihar faces flood due to heavy rainfall in Nepal.”
Jha also said that a WhatsApp group has been created on which the engineers send the latest pictures giving the status of the embankment on a real-time basis. Meanwhile, the state disaster response force (SDRF) and national disaster response force (NDRF) have been deployed at the flood threat areas. Bihar has 16 flood-prone districts and every year lakhs of people lose their homes and livelihood. Last year's rains damaged the crops of over 6.63 lakh hectares of land in 30 districts.
