Patna, Oct 1 (IANS) As the massive flood has severely disrupted normal life in North Bihar, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar conducted an aerial survey of the affected areas on Tuesday.
Accompanied by Water Resource Minister Vijay Kumar Chaudhary and Additional Chief Secretary Pratyaya Amrit, Kumar visited the northern districts of Bihar where over 10 lakh people were displaced in the devastating flood.
The flood has been exacerbated by unprecedented rainfall in Nepal’s catchment areas, which led to the release of large volumes of water from the Valmikinagar Gandak Barrage and Kosi Barrage since September 27.
The flood has impacted several districts, including West Champaran, East Champaran, Gopalganj, Sitamarhi, Sheohar, Supaul, Darbhanga, Muzaffarpur, Madhubani, Purnea, Araria, Katihar and Kishanganj.
Many flood victims took refuge on railway platforms, roads and highways.
In Sitamarhi district, the Bagmati River breached embankments at multiple locations, including Bensand and Runni Saidpur blocks, with additional breaches in Kharauha, Rupauli and Madhkaul villages. Similar devastation occurred in Sheohar, where an embankment along the Bagmati River at Tariyani Chhapra collapsed, worsening the flood’s impact. These breaches intensified the flooding, making the situation more critical for affected communities.
The flood situation in North Bihar has worsened, with embankments collapsing under the pressure of rising water levels from multiple rivers. In Darbhanga, a breach occurred in the embankment at Badaul village in Kiratpur block, caused by the strong flow of water from the Kosi River.
In East Champaran’s Sugauli block, a ring dam on the Sikrahna River collapsed near Gorigaon village, with about 30 feet of the dam giving way under intense pressure from heavy rains in Nepal’s catchment areas. This dam was constructed under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MNREGA) to prevent floods.
The situation across North Bihar has become critical, as several rivers are now flowing above the danger level.
Bagmati River is above the danger mark at Dheng, Sonakhan and Chandauli in Sitamarhi district, Dubadhar in Sheohar district, and Muzaffarpur’s Kataunjha and Benibad blocks.
Kosi River is above the danger level at Baltara in Khagaria district and Kursela in Katihar district.
Gandak River has been flowing above the danger mark at Dumaria Ghat in Gopalganj and Rewa Ghat in Muzaffarpur district.
Burhi Gandak River is above the danger level in Khagaria district.
Kamla Balan River is flowing above the danger level at Jay Nagar and Jhanjharpur in Madhubani district.
Ganga River is above the danger mark at Hathidah in Patna and Kahalgaon in Bhagalpur district.
Adhwara River has crossed the danger level at Sundarpur in Sitamarhi district.
Mahananda River is flowing above the danger level at Dhengra Ghat in Purnea district.
–IANS
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