Rivers in spate, many areas inundated in Bihar

The rising water level of Ganga affected all the districts situated along the banks of the river in Bihar with riverbank areas of the districts facing the brunt.

Patna: The rising water level of Ganga affected all the districts situated along the banks of the river in Bihar with riverbank areas of the districts facing the brunt.

Ganga and five other rivers were flowing above danger mark in Patna, Bhagalpur, Khagaria, Katihar, Siwan, Bhojpur and Buxar districts prompting officials to keep a close watch over the situation.

The Ganga river was flowing at maximum level (above danger mark) of the season at six places in various parts of three districts- Digha ghat, Gandhi ghat, Hathidah in Patna, Bhagalpur and Kahalgaon in Bhagalpur district and Buxar district, a Disaster Management Department statement said.

Other rivers flowing above danger mark are - river Sone at Koilwar (Bhojpur) river Punpun at Sripalpur (in Patna), while Ghaghra remained in spate at Gangpur-Siswan in Siwan district, Kosi at Baltara and Kursela in Katihar district and Burhi Gandak in Khagaria, it said.

Five teams of National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) have been deployed in Patna while two teams in Vaishali district to step up the relief and rescue operation in their flood-affected riverine areas, the department said.

Centre has been requested to give five more additional teams of NDRF to carry out relief and rescue operations in the affected districts, it said adding that these teams are expected to reach Patna by tonight.

In Patna, Ganga water entered into the basement of 'Ganga Apartment' through the sewer pipe.

The apartment, situated on Ashok Rajpath along the river banks, has around 125 flats where 500-600 people live.

"The water started entering our apartment from yesterday

evening. There is around two feet water in the compound. We have snapped power supply to avoid any short circuit," one of the residents Lakhan Prasad told PTI.

Patna District Magistrate Sanjay Kumar Agarwal said "there is no immediate threat to Patna town but people need to remain alert especially those who reside in low lying areas. If water level rises in Ganga, it may create problem for the city."

To stop water entering to Patna town, Patna Municipal Corporation has been asked to seal all the outlets that flush out water into Ganga.

The decision was taken at a high-level meeting chaired by Chief Secretary Anjani Kumar Singh to assess the situation arising out of increase in water level of Ganga.

The meeting issued necessary directions to take affected people to safer places in relief camps besides providing them food packets.

Those who attended the meeting included Disaster Management Department Principal Secretary Vyasji, Water Resources Department Principal Secretary Arun Kumar, Urban Development Department Principal Secretary Chaitanya Prasad, Patna Muninicipal Corporation Commissioner Abhishek Singh and Patna District Magistrate Sanjay Kumar Agarwal.

It was also decided to take the flood-affected people residing in riverine areas to safer places in relief camps where they would be provided food, water, medical facilities.

Besides, airforce at Gorakhpur has been asked to be on alert so that it can be used to drop food packets to the affected areas, if needed.

The army has also been requested to put on alert so that their services can rendered to carry out relief and rescue operations, the statement said.  

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