Several Bihar districts on alert as IMD warns of heavy rain, flash flood

An alert has been sounded in several districts of Bihar as the IMD predicted heavy rain and warned of low to moderate flash flood risk in parts of the state, officials said on Saturday.

Heavy rain is likely in West and East Champaran, Sitamarhi, Sheohar, Muzaffarpur, Gopalganj, Siwan, Saran, Vaishali, Patna, Jehanabad, Madhubani and Bhojpur districts, an India Meteorological Department (IMD) bulletin issued on Friday said.

"These districts are at risk of low to moderate flash floods over the next 24 hours," 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 12 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.

The Bihar Water Resources Department has sounded a flood alert in areas along the swollen Kosi and Gandak rivers. The water level of several rivers has been rising across the state, following continuous rainfall over the past two-three days, the officials said.

Incessant rainfall in the catchment areas of Nepal has also led to rivers touching or flowing above the danger level at several places in the bordering districts.

In view of the gravity of the situation, the authorities in Bihar lifted some gates at Valmikinagar Barrage on Gandak River and released 6.87 lakh cusecs of water at 8 am on Saturday, a bulletin issued by the Water Resources Department said.

The authorities also released 7.54 lakh cusecs of water from the Kosi Birpur Barrage at 8 am on Saturday, it said.