Muzaffarpur, July 25: The soaring water of Bagmati, Budhi Gandak, Gandak and Lakhandai rivers have compelled several residents of the district to leave their homes for safety. The Central Water Commission (CWC) has forecast further rise of water level of the rivers.

The rise in the water level of river Budhi Gandak near Sikandarpur in the town is a constant source of worry for the residents. The district authorities have asked the people living near the bank of the river to shift to higher areas.

The rising water level of Bagmati is causing havoc with the erosion at Kodai and Ballor villages under Gaighat block. The road connecting the villages has been eroded and vehicular traffic disrupted.

The residents of Kalyani, Haripur, Dumrama, Dih, Sandha and Kodai villages are keeping a vigil along the banks of river Bagmati, along with a team of the state water resources department, to prevent any untoward incident.

District magistrate Santosh Kumar Mall has deployed teams of the water resources department to plug the erosion sites at the earliest.

B.N. Prasad, the chairman of the anti-flood squad of the state, said: “I have inspected all the erosion sites. Work is on in full steam to check it.”

The rise in the water level of Bagamti and Lakhandai has also affected Aurai and Katra blocks of the district. Large parts of Basantpur, Mehsol, Babhangama, Naya Gaon and Besi in Aurai block are inundated. The residents have been forced to travel in these villages on boats. Some of them have even fled to safer locations.

A makeshift wooden bridge at Baraitha on the Benibad-Aurai road collapsed because of the rising water level of river Bagmati. Nearly 12 villages, each with a population of more than 1 lakh, have been cut off from the block headquarters for the past fortnight.