Bihar floods: Nearly 50 lakh affected in 15 districts as Ganga, Kosi breach danger marks

The flood situation in Bihar worsened on Monday, with nearly 50 lakh people across 15 districts affected as rivers already flowing above danger levels swelled further following heavy rain in the state and in the catchment areas upstream, officials said.

According to the Disaster Management Department, 49.67 lakh people have been affected in the districts of Patna, Bhojpur, Saran, Vaishali, Bhagalpur, Begusarai, Buxar, Samastipur, Munger, Katihar, Lakhisarai, Khagaria, Purnea, Madhepura and Araria.

The state has recorded 112.7 mm of rainfall so far this month, about six per cent above normal, according to the local weather office.

Officials said continuous rain in the catchment areas of rivers flowing into Bihar from Nepal, along with heavy rainfall within the state, has pushed several rivers and streams past their danger marks. The Ganga was flowing at 36.19 metres at Sultanganj in Bhagalpur at 6 pm on Monday, 1.69 metres above the danger level. It was also above the danger mark at Digha, Gandhi Ghat, Hathidah, Bhagalpur, Kahalgaon and Munger.

The Kosi was flowing above the danger mark at Baltara and Kursela, while the Budhi Gandak had crossed the danger level at Khagaria. The Punpun at Sripalpur, the Bagmati at Benibad and the Ghaghara at Darauli were also flowing above their respective danger levels.

Water discharge figures reflected the continuing pressure on the river system. The Gandak barrage at Valmiki Nagar recorded a discharge of 1,09,000 cusecs at 4 pm on Monday, with the flow still rising. At the Kosi Barrage in Birpur, the discharge stood at 1,63,315 cusecs, against this year's highest flow of 2,55,425 cusecs recorded on July 20.

Relief operations are under way. The administration has set up 1,248 community kitchens and 13 relief camps in the flood-hit areas, and around 11,508 people have been provided accommodation, food, medical care and other essential facilities, officials said.

Twenty-seven teams of the State Disaster Response Force and 10 teams of the National Disaster Response Force have been deployed across various districts for relief and rescue operations.

Bihar's flood season routinely affects large parts of the state, particularly districts along the Kosi, Bagmati, Gandak and Ganga rivers, which carry heavy volumes of water from the Himalayan foothills during the monsoon. The Kosi, in particular, has a long history of shifting course and inundating densely populated areas, and embankment breaches along its course have caused severe displacement in past years.

The immediate concern for the administration is the rising trend in several rivers. With catchments in Nepal still receiving rain, water levels in the Ganga, Kosi, Gandak and their tributaries may continue to rise over the coming days, officials indicated.

Residents in low-lying areas have been advised to move to higher ground, and relief material is being moved to district headquarters. Officials said the focus is on reaching marooned families, ensuring safe drinking water and preventing the outbreak of waterborne diseases, which typically follow prolonged flooding.

The state government has not yet announced any compensation package for those affected. Further updates on river levels and relief distribution are expected as the situation develops.