Many rivers breach danger markin north Bihar, trigger flood fears

Patna: Incessant rainfall in Nepal in recent days has raised the water levels in several rivers across north Bihar, with some rivers breaching their danger marks, according to a bulletin issued by the Central Water Commission (CWC) on Sunday.
The bulletin cautioned that water levels are expected to further rise as downstream areas could experience flooding due to the release of water from dams along the Kosi and Gandak rivers in Nepal.In response to this critical situation, authorities in Bihar lifted 36 gates at Valmikinagar barrage on the Gandak river on Saturday night. This move facilitated the rapid discharge of water, which reached a peak of 4.40 lakh cusecs at 10am on Sunday, marking the highest discharge recorded so far this monsoon season. Subsequently, the discharge decreased to 4.20 lakh cusecs by the afternoon.

Similarly, at the Birpur barrage on the India-Nepal border, 39 gates were lifted in response to escalating water levels in the Kosi river. Discharge rates surged from 2.69 lakh cusecs on Saturday afternoon to 3.88 lakh cusecs by Sunday afternoon, posing risks to communities residing between the river embankments downstream from the barrage.
The intensified discharge had immediate consequences for local communities, particularly farmers and agricultural workers from Bagaha town in West Champaran district. Approximately 60 individuals, including women, children, and elderly, were stranded in the Tikra, Ojhwalia, and Semra diaras (agricultural land islands) of the Gandak river where they had ventured for farming activities on Saturday morning. Upon receiving the alert, the administration swiftly deployed SDRF jawans who rescued them using boats and provided essential relief supplies. Additional rescue operations successfully saved three farmers near Ramnagar.
The increased water discharge also prompted warnings to residents living along the embankments and in low-lying areas of the Kosi river. Authorities urged them to relocate to safer, higher ground as a precautionary measure against potential flooding.
The Gandak river was flowing above the danger mark at Khadda in West Champaran district, and the anticipated downstream surge threatened flood conditions in parts of Gopalganj district. District magistrate Maqsood Alam of Gopalganj instructed officials concerned to alert vulnerable communities to relocate to elevated areas beyond the floodplains.
Meanwhile, concerns persist in other regions as well. The Bagmati river has exceeded its danger level in parts of Sitamarhi and Muzaffarpur districts, as reported by both the CWC and the state water resource department (WRD). Further east, along the border with Nepal and West Bengal, the Mahananda river has surpassed the danger mark in Purnia and Katihar districts, while the notorious Parman river is also flowing above critical levels in Araria district.