Flood alert in Bihar following heavy discharge of water from Birpur barrage

The development may aggravate the condition of many people in 13 districts, who were already affected by inundation following heavy rain

The Bihar government has sounded an alert for flood in northern and central parts of the state following heavy discharge of water from Birpur barrage on Sunday, officials said.

A total of 6.61 lakh cusecs of water was released from Birpur barrage on Kosi river till 5 am, the highest in 56 years. According to the latest bulletin by the state Water Resources department, the last time the maximum water discharged from this barrage was 7.88 lakh cusecs of water in 1968.

The development may aggravate the condition of over 16.28 lakh people in 13 districts, who were already affected by inundation following heavy rain.

Similarly, 5.38 lakh cusecs of water was released from Valmikinagar barrage on Gandak till 7 pm on Saturday. This is the highest water discharged from this barrage after 6.39 lakh cusecs released in 2003. Traffic movement has been stopped near the Kosi barrage as a preventive measure.

"The teams of the Water Resources Department are monitoring the embankments on a 24/7 basisso prompt action can be taken as soon as any erosion or danger is detected. Three superintending engineers, 17 executive engineers, 25 assistant engineers and 45 junior engineers of the department are working on a 24/7 basis and they are always alert", the official said.

"The water level of rivers Gandak, Kosi, Bagmati, Burhi Gandak, Kamla Balan and Mahananda and Ganga-- has been rising across the state, following continuous rainfall over the past two-three days. Incessant rainfall in the catchment areas of Nepal has led to rivers touching or flowing above the danger level at several places in the bordering districts," the senior official said.

Authorities from Nepal released 5.40 lakh cusecs of water in Gandak barrage from their side till 7 pm on Saturday and 4.99 lakh cusecs of water in Kosi barrage, he added.

Following the heavy discharge of water from these two barrages, the excess river water entered low-lying areas of West and East Champaran, Gopalganj, Araria, Supaul, Katihar, Purnea and several other districts, officials said. An alert has already been sounded for several districts of Bihar as the IMD predicted heavy rain and warned of flash flood risk in parts of the state.

Districts such as West and East Champaran, Sitamarhi, Sheohar, Muzaffarpur, Gopalganj, Siwan, Saran, Vaishali, Patna, Jehanabad, Madhubani and Bhojpur districts are likely to experience heavy rain."These districts are at risk of low to moderate flash floods," it said.

The state disaster management department asked the administration of the districts to remain on alert and take preventive measures in the wake of the forecast.

Around 13 districts situated along the Ganga, including Buxar, Bhojpur, Saran, Patna, Samastipur, Begusarai, Munger and Bhagalpur, are already experiencing a flood-like situation, and nearly 13.5 lakh people living in low-lying areas have been affected by rising water levels of rivers, following torrential rainfall, officials said.

A large number of people from the affected districts have been evacuated and brought to relief camps, they said.