More than 43 lakh people have faced devastation from floods sweeping through 14 districts in Bihar, as several rivers, notably the Ganga, flow perilously above the danger mark, according to authorities on Thursday.
The relentless rainfall in several parts of Bihar, combined with heavy precipitation in Nepal’s catchment areas, has caused significant overflow in rivers and streams.
The Disaster Management Department (DMD) reports that approximately 43.64 lakh residents across 527 gram panchayats in 85 blocks are currently affected by these floods.
Among the particularly affected areas are Patna, Bhojpur, Saran, Vaishali, Bhagalpur, Begusarai, and Buxar, where water levels have surged alarmingly. The state meteorological office noted that Bihar recorded 83.6 mm of rainfall in September, which exceeds the normal by 24 percent.
According to the latest DMD bulletin, the Ganga at Sultanganj in Bhagalpur rose to 36.72 meters at 6 am on Thursday, surpassing the danger level by 2.22 meters, though the flow has stabilized.
Other rivers such as the Gandak, Kosi, Budhi Gandak, and Ganga in multiple locations including Digha, Gandhi Ghat, and Munger are also flowing above danger thresholds.
In response to this catastrophic event, authorities have set up 951 community kitchens across various districts to provide meals to flood-affected individuals. Additionally, 15 relief camps offer shelter, food, medical aid, and other critical facilities to over 11,255 individuals.
The government has distributed around 2.57 lakh polythene sheets and 40,600 dry-ration packets to support those impacted. Emergency response measures include deploying 1,932 boats for evacuation and transportation of goods, alongside distributing 6,692 quintals of cattle fodder to support affected farmers.
DMD officials reported that the Gandak Barrage recorded a discharge of 77,600 cusecs as of Thursday morning, with the Kosi Barrage discharging 1,40,240 cusecs and the Indrapuri Barrage on the Sone river at 72,095 cusecs.
For ongoing relief and rescue efforts, 27 State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) teams along with 10 National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) teams have been deployed across the battered districts.
The weather office has cautioned residents with forecasts indicating light to moderate rain in certain areas and anticipated heavy rainfall in the coming days, compounding the threat of further flooding.
