Bihar Floods: Ganga Reaches Record Level, 22 Lakh Affected

A severe flood situation has emerged in Bihar, with the Ganga river crossing its previous highest flood level in Patna on Sunday. The heavy rainfall in the state and neighbouring Jharkhand has caused rivers to overflow, affecting over 22 lakh people across 12 districts.

The East Central Railway has cancelled and diverted some trains due to the high water level at a bridge connecting Punpun and Parsa Bazar stations on the Patna-Gaya section. The Ganga was flowing at 50.57 metres at 6 am at Gandhi Ghat in Patna, exceeding its previous highest flood level of 50.52 metres recorded on August 21.

Several other rivers, including the Gandak, Kosi, Budhi Gandak, Punpun, Bagmati, and Ghaghra, are also flowing above the danger mark. The Bihar government has received reports of 22.42 lakh people being affected in Patna, Bhojpur, Saran, Vaishali, Bhagalpur, Begusarai, Buxar, Samastipur, Munger, Katihar, Lakhisarai, and Arwal districts.

To provide relief to the affected people, authorities are operating 190 community kitchens and have deployed 1,429 boats to evacuate those stranded. Twenty-seven State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) teams and 10 National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) teams have also been deployed across the affected districts.

The Water Resources Department has issued an advisory, warning that the Ganga at Hathidah could cross its previous highest flood level, prompting heightened vigilance in Begusarai, Lakhisarai, Munger, Bhagalpur, and Katihar. Officials have been instructed to continuously monitor river levels, embankments, vulnerable locations, and low-lying areas and take precautionary measures when required.

People in affected areas have been advised to stay away from rivers and remain cautious. Local administrations have also been directed to monitor boat operations, prevent overloading, and keep residents updated. The weather office has forecast light to moderate rain at several places across Bihar over the next two days, with heavy rain possible at some locations.

The flood situation in Bihar is being closely monitored by the authorities, and all necessary measures are being taken to provide relief to the affected people. The state has received 69.1 mm of rainfall so far in September, which is 55% above normal.

The situation is likely to worsen in the coming days, with the forecast of more rain across the state. The authorities are on high alert and are taking all necessary precautions to prevent any further damage.

In conclusion, the flood situation in Bihar is severe, with over 22 lakh people affected across 12 districts. The authorities are working tirelessly to provide relief to the affected people, and all necessary measures are being taken to prevent any further damage.