Bihar: Flood situation grim in Champaran, Gopalganj

PATNA/BAGAHA: The floodwaters of Gandak continued to cause havoc both in its upper and lower reaches falling in West Champaran, East Champaran, Gopalganj and Muzaffarpur districts. The blocks badly affected were Areraj, Kesaria, Sangrampur, Madhuban, Patahi, Banjaria, Sugauli and Adapur, reports said on Wednesday.
The flood conditions in Gopalganj Sadar, Baikunthpur and Manjhagarh were particularly acute, as the Gandak water had been moving downstream from its upper reaches, reports added.
On Wednesday, the water discharge through Valmikinagar barrage was 2.21 lakh cusecs in the morning, but fell to 2.06 lakh cusecs by the evening. Similarly, the water discharge through Birpur barrage across the Kosi was 1.76 lakh cusecs in the morning and 1.74 lakh cusecs in the afternoon.
Among other major rivers, the Ganga was flowing 8cm above the danger level at Patna, followed by 61cm at Hathidah, 45cm at Kahalgaon and around 70cm at Farakka.
Due to the intake of water from the swollen Gandak, along with other rivers flowing through north Bihar, the water level of the Ganga had been showing a rising trend from Digha at Patna to Kahalgaon in Bhagalpur. The Bagmati was flowing 1.31 metre above the danger level at Benibad and 1.46 metre above the red mark at Hayaghat. Further, the Burhi Gandak continued to cause havoc in Samastipur and Khagaria districts.
There appeared to be no respite from the floodwaters in West Champaran district. As many as 90 families of Kanti Tola in Semra-Labdeha panchayat have taken shelter with their children and domestic cattle near Salikpur police checkpost under Khadda police station area in Kushinagar district of UP. On Wednesday, a relief team from Piparasi block of West Champaran provided readymade food, like 2kg chura and 1/2kg jaggery each to the displaced families.