Chhapra, Sep 4: The flood situation in Bihar’s Saran district remained grim on Friday as rising water levels in the Ganga, Saryu and Gandak rivers inundated several villages and low-lying areas, disrupting normal life and cutting off riverine settlements from nearby towns.
Low-lying residential areas of Chhapra city, along with parts of Revelganj, Sonpur and Chhapra Sadar blocks, have been affected by floodwaters. Sonpur and Revelganj are among the worst-hit areas, officials said.
Sadar Sub-Divisional Officer Nitesh Kumar said Revelganj, five panchayats in Sadar block and one panchayat in Garkha block were currently affected.
“In Sonpur, floodwaters have entered new areas of Sabalpur Diara and Pahleja. Around two feet of water is flowing on the road connecting Hariharnath Temple to Bajrang Chowk, affecting movement in the area,” Kumar said.
The Saryu river is also flowing above the danger mark in Manjhi block, triggering concern among residents living in nearby areas.
The district administration has stepped up relief and rescue operations and deployed boats in affected areas to facilitate the movement of residents and provide assistance to flood-hit families.
“The district administration has stepped up relief and rescue measures and started boat operations in the affected areas to facilitate the movement of people and provide assistance to flood-affected families,” Kumar said.
As the situation worsened, supervisory officers were deployed in 18 panchayats of the Sonpur subdivision to monitor relief and rescue operations.
The deployment, ordered by Saran District Magistrate Vaibhav Srivastava, covers 16 panchayats in Sonpur block and two in Dighwara block.
The officials have been directed to conduct regular field visits and coordinate with local representatives to monitor water levels, erosion and the condition of displaced families.
They have also been asked to keep a close watch on arrangements for relief camps, community kitchens, drinking water, dry ration, polythene sheets, medicines and boat operations, besides fodder and vaccination facilities for livestock.
Residents in several flood-hit areas, meanwhile, said the rising waters had severely disrupted connectivity and access to essential services.
An elderly resident said six panchayats in the affected area were completely surrounded by floodwaters and had no adequate transport facilities.
“All six panchayats are completely surrounded by floodwaters, and there are no facilities or arrangements available here,” the resident said, urging the district administration to arrange boats, relief material and cattle fodder.
“I appeal to the DM Sir and the MLA to send relief materials here and arrange for boats so that we can conveniently transport patients or anyone else in need,” the resident said.
The resident also claimed there was virtually no dry space left in the area.
“There is not a single dry spot anywhere where we can even walk; no space is left empty,” the resident said.
According to residents, the water level was continuing to rise, leaving many people confined to their homes.
“The water level is continuously increasing. Now, there is no mode of transport available, so we are just sitting helplessly inside our homes,” the resident said.
The flood crisis has also intensified in riverine areas of Danapur block, including Manas, Hetanpur, Akilpur, Ganghara, Patlapur and Kasmichak. Two panchayats in Maner and six riverine panchayats along the Ganga have also been severely affected, with several areas cut off from town headquarters.
The flooding comes amid a broader rise in river levels in Bihar, with the Ganga and Son rivers having crossed danger marks earlier and inundated several riverine villages.
With water levels continuing to rise in several stretches, authorities are maintaining close surveillance of vulnerable areas while focusing on evacuation, boat connectivity and delivery of essential supplies to affected families.
