Patna

The flood situation in Bihar remained grim on Friday, with more than 46.88 lakh people affected across 15 districts as the Ganga and its tributaries continued to flow above danger levels at several places, triggering erosion and breaches in embankments, officials said.

At least four embankment breaches were reported from different parts of Bhagalpur district, they said, adding that while some have been repaired, restoration work is underway at the 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, the district administration said in a statement.

At Dhobania Zamindari Dam in Rangra block, around 20 feet of the embankment eroded at about 4.30 am, causing floodwaters to enter alongside PWD Road No 14. Protective measures, including bamboo piling, sandbagging and plastic sheeting, are being undertaken, it said.

Breaches were also reported at Dhobania Dam on the Kalbalia River in Rangra Chowk and Budhiya Dam, part of the Sadopur ring embankment, in Bania Baisi panchayat, the administration said.

Technical teams have been deployed at the affected sites, while vulnerable embankments are under round-the-clock surveillance, it said.

According to the latest bulletin of the Disaster Management Department (DMD), around 46.88 lakh people in 561 gram panchayats across 88 blocks have been affected by the floods.

Among the worst-affected districts are Bhagalpur, Patna, Saran, Vaishali, Begusarai, Katihar, Purnea and Buxar.

Incessant rain in Bihar, coupled with heavy rainfall in catchment areas of Nepal, has caused several rivers and streams to swell, officials said.

The state has recorded 90 mm of rainfall in September so far, about 20 per cent above normal, they said.

The DMD said the Ganga at Sultanganj in Bhagalpur was flowing at 36.62 metres at 6 am on Friday, 2.12 metres above the danger level, though the water level was receding.

Gandak was flowing above the danger mark at Dumriya Ghat, Kosi at Baltara and Kursela, Burhi Gandak at Khagaria, and Ganga at Digha, Gandhi Ghat, Hathidah, Bhagalpur, Kahalgaon and Munger, Punpun at Sripalpur, Bagmati at Benibad, and Ghaghra at Darauli and Gangpur Siswan.

A total of 1,194 community kitchens are being operated in various districts. Fifteen relief camps are also functioning, providing accommodation, food, medical care and other essential services to 11,255 flood victims, the bulletin said.

Around 3.10 lakh polythene sheets and 48,300 dry-ration packets have been distributed among flood-affected people so far.

A total of 1,922 boats are being operated for evacuation and transportation, while 7,535 quintals of animal fodder have been distributed, it said.

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Twenty-seven SDRF teams and 10 NDRF teams have been deployed in various districts for immediate relief and rescue operations in view of the flood situation, the DMD said.

The Meteorological Service Centre has forecast light to moderate rain at some places in the state over the next two days, with the possibility of heavy rainfall at one or two places.