Patna, Sep 3: The Ganga rose to a dangerous level in Bihar on Thursday, triggering a flood alert in several districts as incessant rainfall in the state and flash floods in neighbouring Nepal caused water levels in major rivers and their tributaries to rise.
The situation prompted Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary to inspect the rising water level of the Ganga at Gandhi Ghat in Patna and direct officials to ensure the safety of people living in low-lying areas. JD(U) president and former chief minister Nitish Kumar also reviewed the situation from different points in the state capital and urged people to remain alert.
Water Resources Department (WRD) officials said the Ganga at Gandhi Ghat was likely to “breach the highest flood mark” on Thursday night, raising concerns of flooding in vulnerable riverine areas of Patna and other districts.
Apart from the Ganga, water levels in the Gandak, Kosi and their tributaries have also been rising intermittently over the past several days. Authorities attributed the situation to incessant rainfall in Bihar and the impact of flash floods in Nepal.
The flood threat has spread across a wide belt, with Saran, Munger, Jehanabad, Bhagalpur, Begusarai, Lakhisarai, Bhojpur, Buxar and Patna among the districts facing the risk. West and East Champaran, Gopalganj and Vaishali have also reported rising river levels and concerns in low-lying areas.
Sanjay Jha, JD(U) working president and Rajya Sabha member, said the Ganga had reached a dangerous level in Bihar after nearly a decade.
“The Ganga has reached a dangerous level in Bihar after a decade, since 2016,” Jha said.
The Patna district administration has stepped up vigil in the Punpun area after a breach in an embankment ring. Officials are monitoring vulnerable stretches and taking measures to prevent the situation from worsening.
Choudhary, during his inspection at Gandhi Ghat, asked the administration to give priority to the safety of residents in low-lying areas and remain prepared for any eventuality.
The WRD and State Disaster Management Department have issued a public advisory, asking people living along riverbanks to remain “alert and avoid unnecessary movement near ghats and embankments.” Residents in vulnerable riverine areas have also been advised against bathing in rivers because of the dangerously high water levels.
The impact was already visible in some riverine settlements. Residents in parts of Gopalganj, Bhagalpur and Patna’s diara areas were seen moving towards safer locations with essential belongings as the flood threat intensified.
Authorities have also established relief camps at several locations to accommodate people who may be displaced by the rising waters.
A senior Disaster Management Department official said, “Relief camps have been set up at different places for such people.”
The recent flash floods in Nepal, which reportedly claimed more than 1,000 lives, have added to concerns in Bihar, with rivers fluctuating sharply over the past 10 days. Officials are closely monitoring the Ganga, Gandak, Kosi and other rivers as the state braces for a potentially difficult flood situation.
With the Ganga threatening to cross the highest flood mark at Gandhi Ghat, authorities have urged residents in vulnerable areas to exercise caution and follow evacuation and safety advisories issued by the administration.
