The flood situation in Bihar remained grim on Friday, with more than 47.33 lakh people affected across 15 districts as the Ganga and several of its tributaries continued to flow above danger levels. Rising water levels have triggered erosion at several places and led to breaches in embankments, prompting authorities to intensify relief, rescue and monitoring operations. Officials said at least four embankment breaches were reported in different parts of Bhagalpur district. While some of the breaches have already been repaired, restoration and reinforcement work is continuing at the remaining locations.
A breach at the Brahmottar Dam in Gopalpur block was brought under control overnight with the assistance of a technical team from the Water Resources Department and local residents, according to the district administration. Another breach was reported at the Dhobania Zamindari Dam in Rangra block, where around 20 feet of the embankment eroded at about 4:30 am. The breach allowed floodwaters to enter alongside PWD Road No. 14.
Authorities have started protective measures at the site, including bamboo piling, sandbagging and the use of plastic sheets to contain the situation and prevent further damage. Breaches were also reported at Dhobania Dam on the Kalbalia River in Rangra Chowk and at Budhiya Dam, which is part of the Sadopur ring embankment in Bania Baisi panchayat.
Ganga crosses previous record at Patna’s Gandhi Ghat
Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Kumar Choudhary, who also holds the Water Resources Department portfolio, directed officials to maintain round-the-clock surveillance of embankments and remain prepared to respond to vulnerable spots. Choudhary said the water level of the Ganga at Gandhi Ghat in Patna has crossed the previous maximum recorded level of 2016 and continues to rise. “The rise has primarily been attributed to unexpectedly high discharge in the Son and Ghaghra rivers. While the Son is now receding, the Ghaghra has stabilised, and the situation is expected to improve over the next 24 hours,” he said. He added that personnel had been deployed at vulnerable locations and that all possible steps were being taken to prevent floodwater from entering residential areas.
Ganga, Gandak, Kosi among rivers above danger mark
Several major rivers in Bihar are currently flowing above their respective danger levels, underlining the scale of the flood situation. The Disaster Management Department said the Ganga at Sultan Ganj in Bhagalpur was flowing at 36.62 metres at 6 am, which was 2.12 metres above the danger level. However, the water level at Sultan Ganj was receding. The Gandak was flowing above the danger mark at Dumriya Ghat, while the Kosi was above the danger level at Baltara and Kursela. The Burhi Gandak was also above the danger mark at Khagaria.
The Ganga was flowing above the danger level at several locations, including Digha, Gandhi Ghat, Hathidah, Bhagalpur, Kahalgaon and Munger. The Punpun was above the danger mark at Sripalpur, while the Bagmati was above the danger level at Benibad. The Ghaghra was also flowing above the danger mark at Darauli and Gangpur Siswan.
Relief operations intensified across flood-hit districts
The worst-affected districts include Bhagalpur, Patna, Saran, Vaishali, Begusarai, Katihar, Purnea and Buxar. The state government has stepped up relief measures as thousands of residents continue to face the impact of the flooding. A total of 1,221 community kitchens are currently operating across various districts to provide food to affected people.
As many as 15 relief camps are also functioning, offering accommodation, food, medical assistance and other essential services to 12,260 flood victims, according to the latest bulletin. Authorities have distributed around 3.13 lakh polythene sheets and 48,400 dry-ration packets among flood-affected residents so far. For evacuation and transportation, 1,876 boats are currently in operation. The government has also distributed 10,823 quintals of animal fodder in the affected areas.
NDRF, SDRF teams deployed for rescue operations
The state has deployed specialised rescue teams to deal with the worsening flood situation. According to the Disaster Management Department, 27 SDRF teams and 10 NDRF teams have been positioned across different districts for immediate relief and rescue operations.
The deployment is aimed at ensuring that rescue teams can respond quickly to emergencies, particularly in areas facing embankment damage, rising river levels and the risk of water entering residential settlements.
Bihar receives above-normal rainfall in September
The flood situation has also been compounded by above-normal rainfall. Bihar has received 104.1 mm of rainfall in September so far, which is around 27 per cent above normal, officials said. The state Meteorological Service Centre has forecast light to moderate rainfall at some places over the next two days. Heavy rainfall is also possible at one or two locations.
