The villagers of Naugachia in Bhagalpur district are currently facing a severe flood threat due to the rising water levels of the Ganga River in the region.
The situation worsened after a 200-metre embankment was recently breached in Bindtoli village, which is situated along the banks of the Ganga River.
According to an official, the breach has resulted in water inundating around 20 villages.
Consequently, many villagers have been forced to live in makeshift tents on the remaining sections of the embankment.
However, the district administration has urged them to vacate the area soon.
“We have already been displaced from our villages and are now residing on the embankment of Bind Toli. Now, the administration is asking us to vacate the embankment as well. Some villagers have moved in with their relatives, but we have no such option. We are living in a state of uncertainty as we have nowhere to take shelter,” said Ram Kumar, a resident of the affected area.
Dr. Uttam Kumar, the Sub-Divisional Officer (SDO) of the Naugachia subdivision in Bhagalpur, mentioned, “After the embankment was breached, soil erosion started occurring in the region. We have initiated restoration work, which is why we have asked the villagers to vacate the embankment.”
He also noted that the embankment, which was constructed in 2008 at a cost of Rs 43 crore, has been compromised.
Meanwhile, the flood threat is not limited to Bhagalpur alone and other districts are also at risk.
Several rivers, including the Ganga, Gandak, Bagmati, Kosi, Ghagra, and Burhi Gandak, are flowing above the danger level, exacerbating the situation and raising concerns about potential flooding in the affected regions.
The flood situation in several districts of Bihar continues to worsen as multiple rivers flow above their danger levels due to heavy rainfall in the catchment areas, particularly in the neighbouring country of Nepal.
At Dumaria Ghat in Gopalganj district, the Gandak River is flowing 64 cm above the danger level.
The current water level at this location is 62.86 metres. The Kosi River is posing a significant threat in multiple locations.
At Baltara in Khagaria district, it is flowing 1.11 metres above the danger level, with a current water level of 34.96 metres.
At Kursela in Bhagalpur district, it is 84 cm above the danger level, with a current water level of 30.84 metres. In Benibad, Muzaffarpur, the Bagmati River is flowing 98 cm above the danger level. The current water level there is 49.66 metres.
The Burhi Gandak River is flowing 95 cm above the danger level in Khagaria district.
The Ganga River is flowing 50 cm above the danger level at Gandhi Ghat in Patna district.
At Hathidah in Patna district, it is 58 cm above the danger level and at Kahalgaon in Bhagalpur district, it is 90 cm above the danger level.
The Ghagra River is flowing 36 cm above the danger level at Darauli in Siwan district.
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