Parts of Bihar are facing a potential deluge as major rivers like the Ganga, Gandak, Kosi, and Burhi Gandak show rising water levels. This surge is attributed to devastating flash floods and continuous rainfall in neighbouring Nepal, prompting authorities to open barrage gates and place disaster response teams on standby.
The Gandak river's water level in Bihar is showing a receding trend, bringing relief to low-lying areas after flash floods in Nepal caused a surge. Despite a marginal rise due to late-night rainfall in Nepal, authorities are monitoring the situation closely, with no adverse impact on embankments reported.
The rising water level in the Narayani-Gandak river following heavy rainfall in Nepal has increased the flood threat in villages along the river in Maharajganj district, officials said on Sunday.
Bihar and Uttar Pradesh are on high alert following devastating flash floods in Nepal's Gandak river system, prompting emergency measures including evacuations and continuous monitoring by central and state authorities.
The administration has sounded a high alert in Maharajganj and Kushinagar districts of Uttar Pradesh, while stepping up the monitoring of the Gandak and other water bodies downstream of rivers in Nepal, following devastating flash floods in the neighbouring country that have killed more than 350 people and left thousands missing.
Three unidentified bodies, believed to have drifted from Nepal due to devastating floods, were recovered from the Gandak river in Uttar Pradesh's Kushinagar district. This incident follows a similar recovery of four bodies in neighbouring Maharajganj, highlighting the cross-border impact of the Nepal floods which began on August 26. Authorities are coordinating with Nepal to identify the deceased and are monitoring the river situation.
Nepal's devastating flash floods have created a worrisome flood situation in Bihar.
Heavy rainfall and swollen rivers have led to severe flooding in 15 districts of Bihar, affecting over 49 lakh people. Major rivers like the Ganga and Kosi are flowing above danger levels, prompting the deployment of disaster response teams and the establishment of relief camps and community kitchens for those displaced.
Villages along the Uttar Pradesh-Bihar border are on high alert following devastating flash floods in Nepal, with authorities monitoring the Gandak River for potential downstream surges and the NDRF deploying 20 teams for preparedness.
Floods have forced hundreds of government schools across Bihar to shut, disrupting studies for thousands of students.
A Kanwariya, Golu Kumar (25), was shot dead in Muzaffarpur, Bihar, while on his way to offer water at the Baba Garibnath Temple. The incident occurred near Brahmapur Khakhan village. Police are investigating the murder, noting the victim had received a death threat earlier.
The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) is closely monitoring the India-Nepal border regions in Bihar and Uttar Pradesh for any adverse impact from the devastating flash floods in Nepal. While no significant impact has been reported yet, 20 NDRF teams are deployed in the Indian states for potential relief operations. India has also sent humanitarian aid to Nepal and has additional NDRF teams on standby for deployment if requested.
'This is no longer a single-hazard problem; it is a cascading, multi-hazard problem. A landslide never occurs in isolation. This entire chain is the cascading effect of what looks, at first, like a single disaster.'
India has rejected any role for third parties in resolving its border dispute with Nepal, following comments from Nepal's Prime Minister suggesting involvement of China and the UK.
Unidentified individuals allegedly vandalised idols of Lord Hanuman and Nandi at a Kali Mata temple complex in Deoria, Uttar Pradesh, triggering tension in the area. Police have registered a case and launched an investigation.
'Our discussions focused on the India-Nepal development partnership and people-to-people ties.'
According to the police, the entire Kartavya Path area has been placed under constant electronic surveillance through an extensive network of CCTV cameras integrated with advanced facial recognition system (FRS) technology.
The broader theme of the performance will be -- 'Swatantra Ka Mantra - Vande Mataram' and 'Samriddhi Ka Mantra - Viksit Bharat', officials said.
The upcoming Republic Day Parade will center around the sesquicentenary of 'Vande Mataram,' featuring themed decorations, performances, and special guests.
Around 100 artistes heralded the parade, on the theme 'Vividata Mein Ekta (Unity in Diversity) that featured a grand presentation of musical instruments, demonstrating the nation's unity and rich cultural diversity.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah promised a defence corridor and factories in each district of Bihar if the NDA wins the upcoming elections. He also outlined plans for flood control, infrastructure development, and revival of sugar mills.
Chandragupta Maurya was the first king to establish an empire in India. He died a monk.
More than 45 lakh people in 30 out of the total 38 districts of the state have been affected by the calamity in two phases since last month, according to the Disaster Management Department.
Many low-lying areas in West Bengal's sub-Himalayan region were reeling from a flood-like situation while major rivers in Bihar were flowing above the danger level at several places as unabated heavy rain lashed the country's eastern parts on Sunday.
A portion of a bridge that was built across the Burhi Gandak River in Sahebpur Kamal of Bihar's Begusarai district collapsed and fell into the river, but no casualty was reported.
Flood victims have been fighting for survival and living in temporary shelters nearby railway tracks with lack of food items. They are yet to get any help from the government, reports M I Khan.
In Assam, nearly 27.80 lakh people across 26 districts have been affected by the deluge. The deaths were reported from the Barpeta, Kokrajhar and Morigaon districts. The death toll due to floods and landslides this year has risen to 122.
Chhath, a festival to worship the Sun God, was celebrated on Saturday with lakhs of devotees, mostly women, thronging the ghats of numerous rivers in Bihar. The ghats of the Ganga, Kosi, Kiul, Bagmati, Kamla Balan, Gandak and Burhi Gandak, besides thousands of ponds, were thronged by worshippers, who offered prasad cooked in pure ghee and mixed with sugar, raisins, coconuts, flour, fruits and sugarcane. Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's sister led the family in performing puja.
If you are a Bihari, you come with built-in patience and acceptance, points out Asmita Bihari.
Several major rivers, including Burhi Gandak, Bagmati, Adhvara, Kosi, Mahananda and Gandak, are flowing above the danger level at many places along their course.
Central Water Commission sources said the situation continued to be grim following incessant rains in the catchment areas of these rivers.
Swirling waters inundated 12 districts of Buxar, Bhojpur, Patna, Vaishali, Saran, Begusarai, Samastipur, Lakhisarai, Khagaria, Munger, Bhagalpur and Katihar.
People lost their lives in the affected districts due to incidents of drowning, electrocution, house collapse and falling of trees, a disaster management department release said.
With major rivers in northern Bihar rising menacingly at several places in the state following heavy rains in catchment areas and discharge into the rivers from Nepal, thousands of people have been forced to abandon their homes and hundreds of villages have been flooded, officials said.
At least 39 pilgrims, mostly Indians, were killed on Sunday when an overcrowded bus skidded off a slippery road and plunged into a flooded canal in southern Nepal.
Thousands of people in Darbhanga, West Champaran and Nalanda districts in Bihar have been affected by floods after rivers flowing through these districts breached their embankments. Floods occurred in Darbhanga and West Champaran districts after breaches developed in the embankments of Kamla Balan and Gandak rivers respectively, while in Nalanda it was due to the overflowing of Panchane river.
This comes at a time when tensions between Kathmandu and New Delhi have escalated over a new map in which the neighbouring country has staked claim over some Indian territories.
The Bal Puraskar was conferred by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who gave digital certificates to the awardees using blockchain technology developed by IIT Kanpur.
About 1.82 lakh people have been evacuated to safe places by the rescue teams in last 48 hours.
