Flood situation worsens in Bihar

Flood situation in Bihar worsened Thursday with major rivers, including Ganga, Gandak and Sone in spate following heavy rains over the past 24 hours, officials said.

"These rivers are flowing above the danger mark in Patna, Buxar, Bhagalpur, Ara, Chhapra and Gopalganj districts and are likely to rise further, posing threat to people living in low-lying areas," said an official of the central water commission.

Though the flood threat looms large over Patna as the Ganga was flowing above the danger mark, state Water Resources Minister Vijay Kumar Choudhary said there was no need to panic.

"Necessary instructions to prevent flooding have been given to officials," he said.

"The government has already initiated the emergency mechanism to protect Patna in view of rising Ganga," Jawahar Lal, an official of the flood cell of the water resources department said.

According to him, the water resources department has sealed all openings of the 8.5 km-long Patna town protection wall that was constructed after the devastating 1975 floods when Ganga and Sone rivers had flooded the city.

In Buxar town, Ganga waters have entered many houses prompting Buxar MP Jagdanand Singh to request the government for coming to the aid of marooned people.

The swirling Ganga waters have inundated over 100 villages and damaged standing crops in Katihar and Bhagalpur districts.