Severe Flooding in Bihar: Rivers Overflow and Residents Urged to Stay Alert
Flood Situation Escalates in Bihar
Screengrab image shows a few boys stranded on a damaged section of road as floodwaters inundate nearby streets(Source: @7ANURAGSHARMA/X)
Patna, Sep 4: The flood crisis in Bihar worsened on Friday as the water levels of key rivers, including the Ganga, Gandak, Punpun, and Dardha, continued to rise, flooding additional regions throughout the state. The Water Resources Department has indicated that the Ganga is likely to surpass its Highest Flood Level (HFL) at Gandhi Ghat in Patna and Hathidah in Mokama by Friday night.
The state’s Disaster Management Department has issued warnings for individuals residing near riverbanks and in low-lying areas of Bhojpur, Patna, Saran, Vaishali, Nalanda, Begusarai, Lakhisarai, and Jehanabad, advising them to stay alert and take necessary precautions.
In Patna, the Ganga was recorded at 1.17 meters above the danger level at Digha, 1.67 meters above at Gandhi Ghat, and 1.32 meters above at Hathidah. The Punpun River was noted at 2.29 meters above the danger mark at Shripalpur, while the Dardha River was flowing 3.07 meters above the danger level at Kolhachak.
In Bhagalpur, the Ganga's level increased by 15 cm in the last 24 hours, causing floodwaters to re-enter diara areas of Nathnagar, Naugachia, and Pirpainti. Extensive agricultural land, including standing crops and fodder, has been submerged.
Khagaria is among the most severely impacted districts, with the Ganga flowing 1.01 meters above the danger mark. The Kosi, Bagmati, and Burhi Gandak rivers are also significantly above danger levels, raising fears of further flooding.
In Raghopur, severe erosion and land subsidence have been observed along a railway line due to the near-total erosion of a marginal embankment. The Ganga's main channel has shifted dangerously close to the tracks, affecting areas within a two-to-three-kilometer radius.
The Ganga's water level in Munger rose by 36 cm in the past 24 hours. In Madhepura district's Alamnagar and Chausa blocks, nearly 100,000 individuals have been impacted by the floods, leading authorities to deploy 35 boats for rescue and relief efforts.
In Banka district, a diversion road constructed for an under-construction bridge near Barsanda village was swept away by the strong current of the Mirchni River. Several villages in Saharsa have also been inundated.
Floodwaters have disrupted road connectivity in multiple districts. In West Champaran, traffic has halted on the Yogapatti-Chhota Chaumukha-Siswa Mangalpur road, where water is flowing two to three feet above the roadway. Approximately two dozen villages in Samastipur have been affected by flooding, with several rural roads submerged. Traffic movement has also been impeded on the Kachchi Dargah-Bidupur six-lane bridge in Patna.
All panchayats in the Raghopur block of Vaishali district have been impacted, with nearly 20 panchayats losing road access to the main network, complicating relief efforts and the movement of residents.