The administration has asked district officials and employees of water resources department to check vulnerable erosion spots along the Bagmati after a reported rise in water level in the past 12 hours.

On Friday, residents of Bathnaha village were caught unawares when the water inundated their dwellings. People were forced to vacate their homes and move on to the top of the embankments. Mohammad Rizwan, a Bathnaha resident, said: “We were left with no option but to move out of our houses as water had entered our houses. The district administration had pressed boats into service, which ferried marooned villagers from the inundated areas.”

Apart from displacing villagers, the heavy current has also damaged roads. The road connecting the headquarters of Katra and Gaighat blocks has caved in disrupting vehicular traffic.

According to the Central Water Commission, the rise in the water level could pose a threat to life and property. It has already crossed the danger mark at Katonjha, Benibad and Gaighat.

Engineers of the water resources department have been asked to patrol weak spots and embankments on Bagmati covering Aurai, Katra and Gaighat blocks for the next 24 hours. The circle officers in the blocks concerned have been directed to keep watch on the rise in water level and expedite relief and rehabilitation measures if necessary.

The flood situation has turned grim in Aurai, Gaighat and Katra blocks. According to reports from the district headquarters, the river is in spate and water has entered more than 800 houses situated across 40 villages on its banks. Floodwater has also spilled into thickly populated villages of Bathnaha, Chainpur, Chahuta, Harni Tola, Bara Buzurg, Bharthuva, Madhuban, Tarbanna and Jivajor of Aurai block and destroyed standing maize crop.

On Friday, district magistrate Anupam Kumar said: “I have instructed the executive engineer of the department to plug vulnerable points. Junior engineers and village guards have been stationed along the embankment on Bagmati. Circle officers of Aurai, Gaighat and Katra blocks have been directed to initiate steps for relief and rehabilitation of displaced families.”