Flood threat looms over Bihar after incessant rains create havoc in Nepal

New Delhi: Following incessant rains in Nepal, the danger of flood looms large across Kosi belt in Bihar.  An alert has also been sounded by the state administration as the river was flowing above the danger mark. If reports are to be believed, the discharge levels at the barrage were measured at 2, 81,955 cusecs at 10 AM on Saturday.

The Koshi Barrage is a mega structure near the international border with India. The infrastructure is crucial for flood management in both India and Nepal during the monsoon.

The heavy rainfall has created havoc in Nepal throwing the lives of the people out of gear. The Government of Nepal has issued warning with prediction of more rainfall in the coming days urging precautious measures. "There is a high chance of heavy downpour in East to the Mid- Terai- Chure areas of Terai. The weather over other areas in Nepal will keep on changing. Let's be more precautious," the Department of Hydrology and Meteorology (DHM) tweeted Saturday morning.

The department has also requested the people residing in the low lying southern plains of Nepal as well as residents near the river to get to the higher grounds claiming the condition might last for some more days. Many of the villages in the southern plains of Nepal have been daunted by floods, compelling over 2, 000 people to move to other places. 

The country has witnessed torrential rain since Friday causing landslides in the hill region and floods in the Terai. According to the weather forecasting division, several rivers, including Koshi, Bagmati and others are crossing the danger level. The situation here turned extremely grim in the past 24 hours as railway tracks and roads have been submerged completely in water. The Biratnagar airport has been closed after flood water gushed into the runway area. 

Several chunks of some highways have also collapsed due the rain and landslides. 

20 people have reportedly lost their lives and more than 50 have gone missing due to the floods and landslide. A total of six people died due to water borne disaster in the low lying district of Sunsari where 50 people are still missing, local media reported. Four people lost their lives in the Banke district after the torrential rain flooded into the residential areas.

The local police in the area informed that three children lost their lives after their house got collapsed. The identity of persons found submerged in water is yet to be known.

In the hilly regions of Nepal, 10 people have lost their lives after the landslide collapsed their houses. Four people have died in the Panchthar district of Nepal after their house was buried by the landslide last night.

Another four people have died in the similar incident in Sidnhuli district of Nepal where a house was buried by the land mass from the part of a hill.