Rain forecast revives flood fears in north Bihar

PATNA: In the next couple of days, the flood fears might revive in the north Bihar plains, as there is forecast of moderate to heavy rainfall in the catchment areas of the major and minor rivers originating in Nepal and flowing through the northern plains of the state. Such a rainfall forecast is for the next three days.
Fortunately, the water carrying capacity of the Ganga in its upper reaches has increased, as the water level was 3.09 metres below the danger level at Buxar, as well as 72cm below the red mark at Digha and just 5cm above the danger mark at Gandhi Ghat at Patna.
Also, the water level fell further on Saturday at Hathidah, Munger, Bhagalpur, Kahalgaon and even at Farakka. Barring Munger, the Ganga was flowing 71cm above the danger level at Hathidah, 59cm at Bhagalpur and 1.32 metres at Kahalgaon. All along the downstream, there was a falling trend and the level will fall further substantially on Sunday, the Central Water Commission bulletin said.
However, the campus of Tilka Manjhi Bhagalpur University and its various colleges had waist-deep water, while the flood situation in northern and southern Bhagalpur districts, as well as in the lower reaches of Katihar district had not yet relented.
Already, after touching a low of 1.27 cusecs early this week, the water discharge through the Birpur barrage across the Kosi was around 1.81 lakh cusecs on Saturday.
The water discharge through the Barah Kshetra barrage in Nepal, around 100km north of Birpur, was 1.40 lakh cusecs in the morning, which increased to 1.52 lakh cusecs in the afternoon, the water resources department (WRD) bulletin said. Water from seven tributaries of the Kosi in Nepal collect at Barah Kshetra. It takes around 72 hours for the water from Barahkshetra to reach the Birpur barrage.
A similar trend was visible with regard to Gandak river, as the water discharge through its Valmiki Nagar barrage increased from 1.44 lakh cusecs in the morning to 1.58 lakh cusecs in the afternoon.
Among other rivers, Burhi Gandak was flowing above the danger level at most of the places along its downstream and its water level showed a rising trend, while Bagmati was flowing below the danger level at most places, except Benibad and Hayaghat. The Kamla was still flowing above the danger level at Jhanjharpur.