The flooded Sariswa river flows through Ahirwa Tola near the Indo-Nepal border in Raxaul on Wednesday. Picture by Jaiprakash

Aug. 25: Vast swathes of land have fallen prey to the rage of north Bihar’s turbulent rivers, which have their origins in Nepal.

An unprecedented rise in the level of the Bagmati, Lakhandai, Adhwara and Jhim rivers passing through Muzaffarpur, Sitamarhi and Sheohar districts of north Bihar has worsened the flood situation and played havoc with the lives and properties of rural people.

Also in spate are the Kosi, Gandak and Budhi Gandak.

The discharge of 4.08 lakh cusecs of water into the Bagmati river from the Valmiki barrage has precipitated the fury.

As many as 215 villages, spread over Supaul, Muzaffarpur, Katihar, Gopalganj, Saharsa, Madhubani, Purnia and West Champaran districts have been submerged.

Over 2.75 lakh people have been affected. Five units of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) have been pressed into service to rescue the marooned people.

The number of flood affected people stood at 1.26 lakh on Tuesday.

One unit of NDRF has 37 members, who have expertise in carrying out rescue operations in areas facing natural disaster of one kind or the other. Bihar has at its disposal six units of NDRF.

While two units have been stationed at Saharsa, two have been sent to West Champaran, one to Gopalganj and the remaining one unit has been kept at Bihta near Patna.

The timely pressing of NDRF units to West Champaran proved helpful for Bagaha superintendent of police Siddharth Mohan Jain, who was trapped in Baluahi village of Gaunaha block of West Champaran due to a flash flood, caused by release of 2.4 lakh cusec of water by the Valmiki barrage on Tuesday. NDRF personnel today rescued him.

Apart from NDRF personnel, the state government is using its own resources too for carrying out rescue operations and a total of 462 boats have been pressed into service.

So far 9,790 people have been rescued and four relief camps have been put in place to give shelter to those who have to leave their native places due to floods.

Divisional commissioner (North Bihar), S. M. Raju, told The Telegraph that the flood situation in north Bihar has turned grim in a day owing to release of water from the Valmiki Gandak Barrage and excessive rain lashing the region and the catchment areas of Nepal.

Raju said 222mm of rain was recorded last night in the region.

A team of engineers and supervisors is on guard to protect a few vulnerable spots of embankments in Aurai in Muzaffarpur, Tilaktajpur in West Champaran, Runnisaidpur and Sonbarsa in Sitamarhi district.

So far three deaths have been reported and this year floods have completed damaged 951 houses so far. Estimated value of damaged caused due to flood stands at Rs 2.24 crore.

Keeping the flood situation in mind, the state government has sought two additional units of NDRF. A formal request was sent to the National Disaster Management Authority on Tuesday.

“The two additional NDRF units are expected to reach here tonight and these units would be stationed at Muzaffarpur,” disaster management department principal secretary Vyasji said.

The Bihar government has launched a massive relief operation in the flood-hit districts.

According to reports reaching state headquarters, 451 quintals of wheat, the same volume of rice, 3.4 quintals of chura and 0.4 quintals of gur have been distributed among the marooned people. Cash to the tune of Rs 11.33 lakh has also been distributed among the affected families.

Personnel of the NDRF team equipped with sophisticated motorboats and life-saving jackets have been pressed into service in Aurai and Katra in Muzaffarpur, confirmed the circle officer of Aurai, Baikunth Sharma.

Over two lakh people of West Champaran district have been adversely affected by the floods caused by excessive rainfall in the catchment areas of the Gandak and its tributaries.

One person was drowned in the swollen river in Bagaha. Reports said flood water has entered 55 panchayats under nine blocks of the district.

Even the historic Bhitiharwa Ashram set up by Mahatma Gandhi during the Champaran movement has been inundated with flood water.

Narkatiaganj town has been completely submerged. Piprasi, Bhitaha, Bhairoganj, Kolahua and Thakraha are the worst affected blocks of Bagaha sub-division of West Champaran district.

West Champaran district magistrate Dev Raj Dev confirmed the death of one person in Bagaha.

Dev said about 500 families had been rescued and sent to safer places. “They are being provided food and other necessary articles,” he said.