North Bihar rivers static but above danger level

PATNA: Several rivers in north Bihar continued to flow above the danger level, though a few of them showed receding trend at a few places in the last 24 hours. The number of flood-hit people surged above 45 lakh in 14 districts as on Saturday.
As per daily flood bulletin issued by water resources department on Saturday evening, Bagmati was showing either falling or static trend at all places Sitamarhi, Muzaffarpur and Darbhanga.Besides, the water level came belong danger level at one flood gauge in Sitamarhi after around a week.
The turbulent Burhi Gandak also showed static trend after nearly a week though it continued to flow above danger level at all four flood gauges in Muzaffarur, Samastipur and Khagaria districts. Kamla Balan on the other hand, showed falling trend at both flood gauges in Madhubani district but continued to flow above danger level. Khiroi, one of the rivers of Adhwara group which has wreaked havoc in Darbhanga district also showed static trend after many days though it was flowing above both flood gauges in the district on Saturday.
Water resources department (WRD) minister Sanjay Kumar Jha attributed the ease in the turbulent rivers to comparatively less rainfall in the last 48 hours. “There has been considerably reduction in intensity of rainfall in north Bihar- light to moderate- in the last 48 hours. Accordingly, the discharge in the embankment is gradually coming down and the accumulated water is draining out. Repair of embankments of Gandak is underway and even nearing completion at a few places,” Jha told TOI.
Dinesh Kumar Bharati, an official at Patna meteorological centre said southwest monsoon active in Bihar in last 24 hours. “Majority places in the state received light to moderate rainfall along with heavy rainfall at a few places in north Bihar,” he said.
The water level in rivers is unlikely to rise much in the next 48 hours as weathermen have ruled heavy rainfall anywhere in Bihar. They have claimed that only light to moderate rainfall is expected in Bihar over the next 24 hours. The weather bulletin issued by India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Saturday afternoon stated that only scattered intensity showers are expected in Bihar on Sunday and Monday but fairly widespread rainfall may occur in the state two days thereafter.
The monsoon trough line was passing through Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand, West Bengal and Meghalaya.
Meanwhile, the railways continued to operate several trains from diverted routes owing to the swollen rivers flowing close to railway bridges or tracks on Samastipur- Darbhanga route.
As per a statement issued by Rajesh Kumar, central public relations officer, East Central Railways (ECR), two pair of special trains- New- Delhi- Darbhanga and Darbhanga- Ahmedabad- were being run on diverted routes. “Jainagar- Amritsar special (04673) started from Samastipur in place of Jainagar. Similarly, Lokmanya Tilak Terminus (Mumbai) -Darbhanga special train, which started on July 31, will terminate at Samastipur station in place of Darbhanga station,” the CPRO said.
Bihar receives 45% surplus rainfall
According to India Meteorological Department (IMD), Bihar has received 45% surplus rainfall in the first two months of monsoon season- June and July. As per data available on the IMD’s website, Bihar received 768.5m rainfall from June 1 till Saturday against the corresponding normal rainfall of 526.7mm, leaving a whopping surplus of 45%.