PATNA: Two major rivers of Bihar- Gandak and Kosi – are in spate following incessant rain in neighbouring Nepal as the water level of other rivers too are expected to rise.
With heavy showers lashing the Tarai region of Nepal besides the catchment areas of north Bihar’s rivers, the rivers including Bagmati, Adhwara group of rivers and Mahananda rivers are also in high spate.
These rivers are likely to cross the danger level at various places during the next 24 to 72 hours, threatening to inundate villages in Sheohar, Sitamarhi, Gopalganj, Purnia and Katihar districts. Similarly, Kosi is also likely to cross danger level in Supaul and Saharsa districts.
Meanwhile, state water resources minister Vijay Kumar Choudhary said that the water level of both Gandak and Kosi rivers started receding from Sunday noon onwards.
Since the possibility of breach in the embankments increases when the level of rivers start receding, round the clock monitoring is being maintained. The minister said that engineer-in-chief and chief engineer are camping in these affected areas.
Meanwhile, over 60 agricultural workers who were stranded on the other side of the Gandak on Saturday evening, were rescued by the personnel of state disaster response force (SDRF) on Sunday. They were brought to Narayanpur Ghat safely by SDDRF personnel.
Flood water entered the Bairagi and Sonbarsa Panchayat areas in West Champaran district as well as authorities are advising people to move to safer locations. Superintendent Engineer of Valmiki Nagar Nawal Kishore Bharti said that the department had released 4.28 lakh cusecs of water from the Valmiki Nagar Gandak Barrage.
All 36 gates of the barrage were opened to manage the water pressure, he added. The water resources department and district authorities are on high alert in the wake of rise in water level.