When the rivers of Bihar overflow, the entire state is devastated. This year too, the rivers Kosi, Gandak, Kamala, and Bagmati have shown their radiant form. The river’s water level has increased owing to heavy rainfall for the last few days. As a result, water has entered many villages, and people have been forced to leave their homes and move to safer places. The flood situation in Bihar has worsened. In many places, people are forced to take shelter on the roofs of their houses. People are facing an acute shortage of food and drinking water. The government and administration are engaged in relief work, but the situation remains worrisome.
With floodwaters comes another big problem, the threat of erosion. When the rising water level of rivers starts decreasing, the water current weakens the embankments. This increases the risk of breakouts. People are afraid that their villages will be affected by this erosion. This has created fear in people. The Kosi river, also known as the ‘Sorrow of Bihar’, has swelled so much this time after 56 years. At Virpur Barrage, the water level touched 6.61 lakh cusecs, the highest since 1968. Similarly, the Gandak River has also swelled so much after 21 years. These figures can give an idea of how serious the flood situation is.
Several districts of Bihar are facing a massive flood. Around 50 lakh people have been affected. Here, water is leaking from the Ring Dam in Bargania, which has increased the concern of the people. The situation is even more serious in Madhubani district. Around one lakh people have been affected by the floods. Flood waters entered thousands of homes. Floods have also wreaked havoc in Darbhanga district. Water from the Kamla Balan River has entered 10 villages of Ghanshyampur.
Not only this, water has also entered the Valmiki Tiger Reserve in West Champaran, which has increased the threat to wildlife as well as nearby residential areas. Villages within the Kosi embankment in Supaul and Saharsa districts have started submerging. Many villages were marooned due to heavy rain in Katihar district. Flood water has also spread to 12 villages in Gopalganj and Manjha blocks.
Government and civil administration are engaged in rescue and relief operations in the flood-affected areas. NDRF and SDRF teams are continuously evacuating people to safer places. People are being provided food and water in relief camps. But the challenges are huge.
Post-flood challenges Even after the flood waters recede, the problems of the people will not be reduced. The accumulated mud in the houses, the loss of crops, the threat of diseases—all these problems will trouble the people. The government will have to make a long-term plan to deal with these challenges.
Though flooding is a natural calamity, its impact can be mitigated by certain measures. Measures such as building strong embankments along rivers, stopping deforestation, and controlling the flow of rivers can be taken. At the same time, it is also necessary to make people aware of the ways to prevent floods. The flood situation in Bihar is continuously deteriorating. People’s safety should be the top priority. Also, such plans have to be made in the long run so that the impact of floods can be reduced. Only then will the people of Bihar be able to get rid of this scourge of floods and lead a safe life.
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