Flood-like situation in many north Bihar districts

PATNA: Moderate to heavy rainfall in north Bihar and the catchment areas of Nepal for the last three days has resulted in flood-like situation in several areas. Many rivers in north Bihar maintained a rising trend and some were flowing above the danger mark at a few measuring stations on Sunday.
A cyclonic circulation lies over east Bihar and its neighbourhood.
The water discharge in Kosi river at Birpur barrage was 2,46,295 cusecs and 2,39,000 cusecs in Gandak at Valmikinagar barrage at 2pm, compared to 1,99,165 and 2,15,100 cusecs, respectively, at 6am.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has predicted rainfall with thunderstorm at most places in Siwan, West Champaran, East Champaran, Gopalganj, Sitamarhi, Madhubani, Darbhanga, Sheohar, Saran, Samastipur, Supaul, Araria, Kishanganj, Madhepura, Katihar, Khagaria, Saharsa and Purnia in north Bihar and Patna, Gaya, Nalanda, Sheikhpura, Begusarai, Lakhisarai and Nawada on Monday. A Patna Meteorological Department bulletin on Sunday issued orange alert for Monday with forecast of moderate to severe thunderstorm with lightning and heavy rain at few places in Siwan, Saran, Madhubani, Muzaffarpur, Darbhanga, Samastipur, Supaul, Araria, Kishanganj, Purnia, Saharsa, Madhepura, Patna, Nalanda, Sheikhpura, Begusarai, Lakhisarai, Katihar, Bhagalpur, Banka, Munger, Khagaria and Jamui.
It has also issued yellow alert for Buxar, Bhojpur, Rohtas, Aurangabad, Jehanabad, Arwal, Gaya, Nawada, Vaishali, Sheohar, Sitamarhi, West Champaran, East Champaran and Gopalganj for Monday.
Bagmati, Kamla Balan, Lalbakeya, Adhwara and Mahananda rivers were flowing above the danger mark at some of the measuring sites in Sitamarhi, Madhubani, East Champaran, Purnia and Kishanganj on Sunday. The river waters also entered a few villages.
Bagmati river was rising at Dheng, Sonkhan, Dubbbadhar and Kataunja in Sitamarhi while the Burhi Gandak also maintained a rising trend at Sikandarpur and Khagaria at 2pm on Sunday. The Kamla Balan was above the danger mark at Jainagar Weir site and Jhanjharpur Rail Pul 88.
The Ganga was rising at Digha, Hathidah, Bhagalpur and Kahalgaon and Punpun at Sripalpur.
As per a report from Sitamarhi, Bagmati, Lalbakeya, Jhim, Rato and Lakhadei were flowing above the danger mark at many places. The road connectivity between Sitamarhi and Sursand and Sitamarhi and Parihar were snapped near village Sutihara as the water of Adhwara group of rivers overtopped the main road. The Bagmati water is posing a threat to the embankments. Lalbakeya water overtopped the road near Bairgania.
Sadar civil SDO Kumar Gaurav and SDPO KV Dhirendra along with officials visited several embankment points of river Bagmati.
“We have sufficient boats and other life-saving items in view of rising rivers originating from Nepal. So far embankments are safe and constant vigil is on,” DM Abhilasha Kumari Sharma said. In West Champaran, flood fury continued to play havoc in many low-lying areas of various panchayats of Bagaha-1, Bagaha-2, Piparasi, Madhubani, Bhitaha and Thakaraha blocks of Bagaha subdivision.
Meanwhile, Raibari Mahuyawa panchayat mukhiya Samsad Ali said the turbulent Masan river was eroding its right bank from Jharamahuyee, Ajamalnagar, Jigana Tola, Tamakuhi. Masan floodwaters continued to spread in the villages. President of flood protection action committee Khalid Kuraisi and former sarpanch of Salaha-Bariyarawa panchayat Nazere Emam said Bagaha-2 block BDO Shashi Bhusan Suman and CO Uday shankar, an assistant engineer of flood protection Bettiah Sachin Prasad and Lok Nivaran Shikayat officer at Bagaha, Mada Prasad, visited the eroding sites on Saturday. Villagers demanded extension of Raibari-Mahuawa protection bund up to Bahuyari Masan bridge.
Supaul, Araria, Kishanganj, Katihar and Purnia are likely to receive widespread rainfall on Monday. Owing to heavy rain in Nepal in the next 24 hours, the water flow in Mahananda, Kosi, Kamla and Bagmati rivers is likely to be high, state water resources (WRD) department minister Sanjay Kumar Jha said on Sunday.
A well was being constructed to contain seepage at Lalbakeya marginal embankment near India-Nepal border at Gowabari under Drainage Division, Motihari.
(With inputs from Shyam Kishore Singh in Sitamarhi & Tirthraj Kushwaha in Bagaha)