Gandak Flood Fury In Bihar: Fresh Areas Submerged As CM Orders 48-Hour High Alert

Bihar’s flood crisis intensified as the swollen Gandak River breached embankments at multiple locations and pushed floodwaters into fresh areas of Saran, prompting the state government to step up rescue operations and seek Indian Air Force assistance.

Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary has warned that the next 48 hours are crucial for the state as rising water levels continue to put pressure on embankments and low-lying areas. The warning came after a massive 5.435 lakh cusecs of water was discharged from the Valmikinagar Gandak Barrage, with the flow remaining above five lakh cusecs for several hours.

The surge, linked to heavy rainfall in Nepal’s Gandak basin, has increased pressure on downstream areas of West Champaran, Gopalganj, Saran, Vaishali and Muzaffarpur. The rising Ganga has added to the problem, with backflow slowing the Gandak’s recession in some areas.

In Saran, water entered new areas after breaches in embankments in Panapur and Maker blocks, inundating farmlands, houses and roads. Areas including Karchhaulia, Amnour, Jagdishpur, Maker and Parsa have been affected.

The Central Water Commission has issued an Orange bulletin indicating a severe flood situation at 28 locations. The Ganga remains above the danger mark at several places, while the Gandak, Kosi, Bagmati and Ghagra are also flowing above danger levels at various locations.

The administration has deployed 12 NDRF and seven SDRF teams in Saran, while additional teams have been mobilised from neighbouring districts. The IAF has also joined the relief effort, dropping thousands of dry-ration packets into flood-hit areas.

The emergency operation, however, was marred by a tragic incident on Friday. Anil Kumar Singh, 58, died near a relief camp in Parshurampur village after villagers alleged that a ration packet dropped from an IAF helicopter struck him. Police said the exact cause of death would be established through a post-mortem, noting that some accounts suggested he may have suffered a medical episode and that no visible external injury marks were found. A woman was also injured when a low-flying helicopter reportedly caused a structure to blow into her.

The scale of the crisis in Saran is substantial, with officials reporting around 170 villages across 33 panchayats affected, impacting an estimated 3.32 lakh people. Thousands have moved to embankments and other higher ground as floodwaters continue to spread.

Authorities are maintaining round-the-clock vigilance along vulnerable embankments, while relief supplies, boats and rescue personnel are being moved into affected areas. With some river levels beginning to fall at individual monitoring points but several locations still above danger levels, officials remain on high alert across north Bihar.