Patna: Widespread rains in north Bihar and Nepal has increased flood threat in several districts as various rivers were flowing above the danger level.
Katihar, Araria, Muzaffarpur, Samastipur, East Champaran, West Champaran are among the districts that are bracing themselves for the impending inundation. Mahananda, Kamala Balan, Bagmati and Adhwara group of rivers were flowing above the danger level at several places, while the Ganga, Kosi, Burhi Gandak and Ghaghra rivers were showing a rising trend, indicating that further rain in the northern parts of the state and in Nepal will worsen the situation.
Disaster management department minister Dinesh Chandra Yadav asserted that no floods had occurred in the state so far.
"None of the district magistrates have reported floods to us till now. As far as water level in rivers is concerned, it keeps increasing or decreasing as it's monsoon," Dinesh, who is in New Delhi to participate in the national executive of Janata Dal United (JDU), said over the telephone.
However, the rising level of rivers has led to water spreading in the low-lying areas. It has also started putting pressure on embankments. Repair works were being done on embankments along Kamla Balan, which is currently flowing above danger level in Madhubani district.
Water resources department engineer-in-chief Rajesh Kumar said: "There have been 'rain cuts' in Kamla Balan embankment. Some mud has been washed away by rainwater. Our engineers are repairing it with sandbags. Otherwise, all is okay as far as the flood situation is concerned."
Meanwhile, heavy erosion has started in Kalyanpur block in Samsatipur district due to the swirling Bagmati river making the residents of the area afraid as it is just the beginning of the monsoon season in the state.
Water from Noon and Parman rivers in Araria district has flooded dozens of villages situated in low-lying areas, while Lakhandei river in Sitamarhi district was in spate flooding villages in Sonbarsa area.
Various villages in Puranaganj, Gangar, Bangama, Charaiyya, Baisi, Khapra panchayats in Baisi and Amour blocks in Purnea district are facing floods due to waters spreading from Mahananda, Kankai and Parman rivers.
Katihar district is facing a threat from the rising Mahananda and people from several villages in Amdabad block are planning to shift to higher grounds.
Meanwhile many villages in Katra, Aurai, Mushahri, Benibad and Bochahan blocks in Muzaffarpur district have been engulfed by floodwaters from the Budhi Gandak and the Bagmati. Many villages have been cut off from the block and district headquarters.
The Muzaffarpur district administration is on alert and sources said evacuation of people from the affected villages will be initiated if the situation deteriorates further. Floodwaters have also spread in the area between embankments of Kosi rivers in Supaul district, leading to people shifting to safer areas.
The silver lining in the current situation is that the Ganga is still flowing several metres below the danger level throughout Bihar, draining excess water from all its tributaries as it flows from west to east across the state.
