Patna (Bihar): Due to the sudden increase in the water level of The Ganges, problems of the people living on its banks keep mounting. The lower areas of Patna and the Diara areas have been inundated. Though the water level has subsided in the last two days by 13 inches, still it is flowing above the danger mark in Patna. On Monday, the water level of The Ganges was 102 centimetres above the danger mark at Digha Ghat and Gandhi Ghat of Patna.
Around 260 panchayats in 11 districts of Bihar have been affected by the flood. The areas of Buxar, Ara, Patna, Saran, Vaishali, Begusarai, Samastipur, Munger, Bhagalpur, Khagaria, Barh and Mokama are in the grip of floods as low-lying areas are worst affected.
In Chhapra, flood waters are spreading rapidly in the residential areas, a situation never seen in the last six years. Houses and crops have all been submerged cutting the road connectivity from Ballia to Uttar Pradesh and Jai Prabha Setu in Chhapra district of Bihar.
Bhagalpur is similarly reeling under inundation as floodwaters have entered many areas, marooning people. Water is rapidly entering Sultanganj, Akbarnagar, Nathnagar, University Campus, Adampur Mohalla, Mayaganj Hospital, Ghogha, Kahalgaon, Pirpainti and Navgachhiya of the district. A girls’ hostel of Tilkamanjhi University was also not spared as 110 students were rescued by tractor.
In Munger, 25,000 people were hit by floodwater as the Ganges flowed above the danger zone. On Friday morning, the water level of the Ganga in Maner, Patna reached 53.29 meters. At the same time, the level in Digha Ghat of Patna touched 50.45. Floodwater has entered many villages including Barhpur, Kanhaypur, Hathidah, Maranchi, and Kasaha Diara of Barh subdivision block. The District Magistrate has issued an order to close 76 schools in Patna district till September 26.
The railways are bearing the direct brunt of the flood as several trains have been cancelled and diverted due to the inundation of the Ratanpur-Bariyarpur and Jamalpur-Bhagalpur divisions.
Apart from Danapur, Digha, Bandh Tola and surrounding areas of Patna, floodwater has thrown the lives of many people off guard in more than a dozen panchayats of Diara. People of Maner, Danapur, Digha Ghat, Nakata Diara to Patna City areas have been badly affected by the floods and are forced to leave their homes.
The areas of Diara have been worst hit as 10,000 people of Nakata Diara Panchayat are forced to leave their village and take shelter in makeshift government camps. The district administration has made arrangements for food and water for 2,000 people. Camps to house domestic animals have also been raised.
According to the data from DM Patna, the administration is arranging food for about 9,800 people in 12 community kitchens every day and 4,656 polythene sheets have been distributed among the flood-hit people. 3500 packets of dry ration have also been distributed among them.
Rajan Yadav, a resident of Nakata Diara in Patna, said the problems of about 10,000 people living in the Diara Panchayat have mounted.
“The quality of food is good but arrangements have not been made as per the problems faced by the people,” Yadav said.
Another flood victim Ghultan Rai said, “Water has entered our village. We are forced to leave our homes and live on the road with our entire family. The district administration has made arrangements for food and accommodation. The water level has decreased a bit”.
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