Patna: The impact of Cyclone Arnab is being felt across Bihar, with the state witnessing a fresh spell of heavy rain, flooding and river-level rises. Weather conditions have remained unsettled for the past three days, with intermittent rain continuing in Patna and several other districts.
Patna has received rain for nearly 20 hours, while the weather department has issued a rain alert for 19 districts. Heavy rain, thunderstorms and lightning are also expected in parts of the state on September 26.
Two Children Die After Snakebite In Patna
In Patna’s Parsa Bazar area, two children died after being bitten by a snake at Sotha Chak village on Saturday morning. Their mother is undergoing treatment.
According to local residents, the snake may have entered the house following the heavy rain and bitten the family members while they were sleeping.
Severe Erosion Threatens Chiraiya Village
Severe riverbank erosion is underway across an area of around 1 kilometre in Chiraiya Diara of Bakhtiyarpur block.
Several houses have reportedly come under threat, raising concerns over the safety of residents in Chiraiya village.
Flood Situation In 50 Supaul Villages
Around 50 villages in Supaul are facing flood conditions, with water entering homes and courtyards.
The situation has been aggravated by rising water levels in the Kosi following heavy rainfall in Nepal.
In Araria, the water level of the Baluahi stream rose suddenly after continuous rainfall in Nepal. Two women died after drowning in the Manikpur panchayat area.
Heavy Rain Causes Damage In Several Districts
In Khagaria’s Beldaur block, 10-year-old Shivam Kumar died after a house wall collapsed during heavy rain.
In Parbatta block, several houses reportedly lost their roofs and a transformer fell amid strong winds and rain. Banana crops were also damaged.
In Munger, rainwater entered homes in rural areas, with Patam West panchayat in Jamalpur block among the affected areas.
In Buxar, a 120-year-old tree fell near a police outpost amid strong winds and rain. The incident blocked the road and disrupted power supply.
In Banka, water was flowing over a bridge on the Dhaureiya-Nawada road, affecting movement.
Valmikinagar Barrage Releases 2.86 Lakh Cusecs
The Valmikinagar Barrage released around 2.86 lakh cusecs of water on Saturday morning, resulting in floodwater entering several settlements, including Chakdahwa, Jhanda Tola, Bin Toli, Kanhi Tola and Rahua Tola.
Both SSB camps in Chakdahwa were submerged, following which personnel were shifted to Bheriyari School.
19 Districts Under Rain Alert
The weather department has issued a rain alert for 19 districts on September 26.
Over the past 24 hours, intermittent rain was reported in several areas, including Patna, Samastipur, Khagaria, Begusarai, Chhapra, Nalanda, Bagaha and Banka.
The state recorded its highest rainfall of 144 mm in Sitamarhi.
Heavy rain in Patna also affected air traffic. An Air India Express flight from Delhi to Patna could not land because of the weather and was diverted to Kolkata.
Why Has Bihar’s Weather Changed?
The weather has changed due to increased moisture and the influence of weather systems over different parts of the state.
The recent rain has maintained high moisture levels in the atmosphere, while weather systems have led to cloud formation over different areas. This has resulted in continued rain, thunderstorms and lightning.
According to the weather department, heavy rain is likely to continue in Bihar on September 26.
Kosi And Bagmati Above Danger Levels
The Kosi and Bagmati rivers are flowing above their respective danger marks, while the Gandak is also witnessing a rise in water levels.
Following rainfall in Nepal, around 2.65 lakh cusecs of water was flowing into the Kosi from the Birpur Barrage on Friday.
Over the past 24 hours, the water level at Basua in Supaul increased by 12 cm. At Baltara in Khagaria, the Kosi water level rose by 26 cm and was around 49 cm above the danger mark.
The Gandak was receiving a discharge of around 1.29 lakh cusecs from the Valmikinagar Barrage. Its water level rose by 14 cm at Chatia in West Champaran and by 24 cm at Dumariya Ghat in Gopalganj during the same period.
Meanwhile, the Bagmati at Benibad in Muzaffarpur rose to 2 cm above the danger mark. Authorities have remained alert in areas along the riverbanks.
Bihar Records 33% Less Rain Than Normal
Despite the recent spell of rain, Bihar has received 33% less rainfall than normal during the current monsoon season.
The state should have received around 959.4 mm of rainfall so far, against actual rainfall of 646.7 mm. This represents a deficit of around 312.7 mm.
The continuing rain has also led to a fall in maximum temperatures across several districts.
Heavy Rain Likely On September 26
According to the weather forecast, heavy rain and thunderstorms are likely to continue in Bihar on September 26, along with the possibility of lightning in several areas.
Weather conditions are expected to become more settled from September 27, although some areas may continue to receive light rain or thundershowers.
The forecast is:
September 26: Cloudy conditions, moderate rain and lightning.
September 27: Partly cloudy skies with rain possible at one or two places.
September 28: Partly cloudy conditions with the possibility of rain or thunderstorms.
Car Falls Into Water-Filled Pit In Patna
In Patna’s Rajiv Nagar police station area, a car fell into a water-filled pit near Jai Prakash Nagar, where road construction has been halted because of the monsoon.
According to local reports, deep pits measuring around 6 to 8 feet have been dug along the roadside. Rainwater has filled the pits, making the road and water level appear almost even.
The car fell into one of these water-filled pits on Saturday, highlighting the risks posed by unfinished road construction during the ongoing spell of heavy rain.
