Flood Crisis in Bihar: 8 Dead, 10 Lakh Residents Affected Across 16 Districts
Patna: Sixteen districts of Bihar are currently battling severe floods, impacting around 10 lakh people across 55 blocks. The natural disaster has led to tragic incidents, with eight people being swept away by floodwaters in different districts, while a woman reportedly died of a heart attack triggered by the disaster. The situation worsened late Monday night when the Champaran embankment near Srinagar Ghorahia Pidi Ring Dam in Bettiah broke, flooding more than two dozen villages across four panchayats.
In West Champaran, authorities have ordered the closure of 27 additional flood-affected schools until October 2, bringing the total number of closed schools in the district to 85. Previously, 58 schools across eight blocks were closed due to flooding and waterlogging. The closures now span across 12 blocks, further disrupting education in the district.
Bihar is experiencing an unprecedented rise in river levels, with the Kosi River reaching its highest point in 56 years and the Gandak River witnessing its highest levels in 21 years. Over the past 24 hours, more than seven embankments have broken in various districts. Meanwhile, the water level of the Ganga River has surged again, affecting multiple districts, including Patna. In response to the growing flood threat, all the gates of the Farakka Barrage have been opened to manage the situation.
Among the victims of the floods is a 3-year-old girl in Supaul who was swept away by a strong current while sitting on her grandfather’s shoulder in Shivpuri. In Darbhanga’s Kiratpur, a teenager and three adults were swept away, and in Sitamarhi’s Runnisaidpur and Belsand, three individuals were carried away by the floodwaters. A woman in Kiratpur reportedly died from the shock caused by the flood.
The flood situation has become dire in Darbhanga, where the Eastern Balan Dam near Shripur Gobarahi in the Kusheshwar Asthan East Block broke on Monday night, affecting 25 villages, including Bhinduwa, Siddhipur, and Gobarahi. Relief efforts are expected to begin on Tuesday, with National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) teams set to arrive in the area.
In a separate incident in Begusarai, a boat carrying over 25 schoolchildren capsized at the Bainti-Balan river ghat in the Bhagwanpur police station area. Local residents acted swiftly and rescued all the children, averting a major tragedy.
The Meteorological Center has not issued any rain or lightning alerts for Bihar today, offering some relief to the flood-hit state. However, 88% of the total rainfall recorded for September fell within the last four days, exacerbating the flooding situation.
According to meteorologists, the cyclonic circulation over southwest Uttar Pradesh has now moved to north-west Madhya Pradesh. Additionally, the monsoon trough extending from the northeast Arabian Sea to northwest Bihar has weakened, reducing the likelihood of further rainfall over the next three to four days.
Bihar has experienced 19% less rainfall than normal this monsoon season, improving from an earlier deficit of 28%. By the end of September, the state should have received 992.2 mm of rainfall, but so far, only 798.3 mm has been recorded.
