While the rivers in North Bihar, notorious for their inundating tendencies, have been on their best behaviour so far this monsoon, it is the Ganga which is giving sleepless nights to villagers and flood relief authorities alike, especially in Bihar's Bhagalpur district.
On Thursday, waters of the Ganga breached two revenue embankments in Bhagalpur.
The river has exceeded its danger level for the first time since 2003, clambering 34.14 m beyond its tipping point.
The 6-km long embankment in Kharik block, in a perilous state since Sunday, finally caved in during the early hours despite efforts to plug the breach using sandbags and boulders.
As the day progressed, four spurs holding together the revenue embankment at Gopalpur block, came under severe pressure and finally gave way in the morning.
While authorities are yet to take a call on the exact area afflicted, more than three dozen villages under the Naugachhia sub-division are expected to take the blow, sources from the Water Resources Department told The Hindu .
“The Ganga has gone beyond the danger level for the first time in a decade. The situation is grim in areas like Naugachhia,” Water Resource Minister Vijay Chaudhary said. Flood-fighting work was being executed on a war footing, Mr. Chaudhary added.
The Bhagalpur district administration had meanwhile urgently pressed a fleet of 100 boats into service.
While the District Magistrate and the Chief Engineer are supervising operations near the spot, transportation of relief material is proving to be a difficult task owing to incessant rains in the area.
In North Bihar, the river troika of the Kosi, the Bagmati and the Burhi-Gandak has exceeded their danger-mark in the districts of Supaul, Sitamarhi, Khagaria and Katihar.
