Patna: Bihar witnessed widespread monsoon impact on Saturday, with heavy rainfall lashing multiple districts, including Patna, Jehanabad, Buxar, Samastipur, Raxaul, and Darbhanga. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued an orange alert for 15 districts and a yellow alert for 23 others, warning of continued downpours across the state in the coming days.
Two people were reported dead in Begusarai district due to lightning strikes, underscoring the intensifying severity of the weather.
According to the Patna Meteorological Centre, the state is expected to experience persistent rainfall for the next three to four days, particularly across South Bihar and the north-eastern regions. Weather experts said that the precipitation would help bring down temperatures, offering some respite from the recent spell of heat and humidity.
The situation has turned particularly grim in Jehanabad and Nalanda, where incessant rain and rising river levels — worsened by continuous downpours in neighbouring Jharkhand — have led to breaches in embankments and damage to dams at six locations.
In response to the escalating crisis, Bihar Water Resources Minister Vijay Kumar Chaudhary convened an emergency meeting on Saturday. He directed officials to initiate relief operations with immediate effect. The department has suspended seven officials for gross negligence in safeguarding embankments.
“The activity of the southwest monsoon has intensified across the state,” a Patna Met Centre official said. “Combined with moist westerly winds, this is resulting in continuous rainfall, and conditions are likely to worsen over the next few days.”
The IMD also warned of gusty winds between 30 to 40 km/h and lightning in several parts of the state, urging residents to remain cautious and stay indoors during storms.
Authorities are on high alert as flood risk looms large over several low-lying areas, and disaster response teams have been mobilised to monitor riverbanks and carry out rescue and relief work where needed.
