The flood situation in Bihar remains severe, with more than 46.88 lakh people affected across 15 districts as the Ganga and its tributaries continue to flow above danger levels at several points, officials said.
In Bhagalpur district, at least four embankment breaches have been reported. While some have been repaired, restoration work is ongoing at remaining sites. A breach at the Brahmottar Dam in Gopalpur block was brought under control overnight with the help of a Water Resources Department technical team and local residents. At Dhobania Zamindari Dam in Rangra block, about 20 feet of the embankment eroded early in the morning, allowing floodwaters to enter alongside PWD Road No 14; bamboo piling, sandbagging and plastic sheeting are now being employed. Additional breaches were noted at Dhobania Dam on the Kalbalia River in Rangra Chowk and at Budhiya Dam, part of the Sadopur ring embankment, in Bania Baisi panchayat.
Technical teams have been dispatched to affected sites and vulnerable embankments are under round‑the‑clock surveillance. The latest bulletin from the Disaster Management Department (DMD) indicates that 46.88 lakh people in 561 gram panchayats across 88 blocks have been impacted. The worst‑affected districts include Bhagalpur, Patna, Saran, Vaishali, Begusarai, Katihar, Purnea and Buxar.
Incessant rain in Bihar, combined with heavy rainfall in Nepal’s catchment areas, has swollen several rivers and streams. The state has recorded 90 mm of rainfall in September so far, about 20 percent above normal. At Sultanganj in Bhagalpur, the Ganga was 36.62 metres at 6 am, 2.12 metres above the danger level, though the water level was receding. Other rivers—Gandak at Dumriya Ghat, Kosi at Baltara and Kursela, Burhi Gandak at Khagaria, Ganga at Digha, Gandhi Ghat, Hathidah, Bhagalpur, Kahalgaon and Munger, Punpun at Sripalpur, Bagmati at Benibad, and Ghaghra at Darauli and Gangpur Siswan—were also flowing above danger marks.
Relief operations are underway: 1,194 community kitchens and 15 relief camps provide accommodation, food, medical care and other essential services to 11,255 flood victims. So far, 3.10 lakh polythene sheets and 48,300 dry‑ration packets have been distributed. A fleet of 1,922 boats is operating for evacuation and transportation, and 7,535 quintals of animal fodder have been distributed. Twenty‑seven SDRF teams and 10 NDRF teams have been deployed for immediate rescue operations. The Meteorological Service Centre forecasts light to moderate rain in some areas over the next two days, with the possibility of heavy rainfall at one or two places.
