Massive flooding is not an alien phenomenon in Bihar. People here are accustomed to the ravages brought in by the floods. They have even adapted themselves to a certain extent but, as the ecological equations have started changing at a faster rate, new and mounting challenges are being faced by the people to which they don't have any answers. It would be a grave mistake to see the current floods in Bihar from a mere natural disaster perspective. In the wake of the natural disaster, a larger human crisis is unfolding, particularly in the northern districts of Bihar. Three-quarters of the population in north Bihar — more than 50 million people — live under persistent human misery, waiting for the floods. Rivers like Kosi, Gandak, Burhi Gandak and Bagmati inundate the districts of Madhubani, Saharsa, Champaran, Kishanganj etc. At present, People in the districts of West and East Champaran, Darbhanga etc. are having a hard time restoring the basic necessities like food and shelter as the waters have started to recede, after engulfing everything. Unlike the southern parts of Bihar, where floods are anticipated and even celebrated, north Bihar faces a complicated scenario. It is critically important to make a distinction between the two types of floods that the region faces frequently — riverine floods and flash floods. Riverine floods still have some recognition in the official parlance. Protocols governing these seasonal floods and the usual piecemeal reliefs and compensations are made. Flash floods, on the other hand, are more frequent and unpredictable. The sources of these floods are the melting glaciers or the overflowing catchments of cross-border mountainous rivers. Flash floods hit the villages on an average of around 15 times a year, entering into the houses and washing away the scant resources possessed by the locals. It would be pertinent here to mention that most of the north Bihar districts fare badly on the socio-economic indicators, effectively meaning these are poor people living in small pucca houses or mostly the mud houses. Their socio-economic standing, coupled with the frequent floods, makes the situation no less than a crisis where a good number of families are left with no space to sleep, cook and rest. More importantly, these are not just one-time disasters where the water comes and recedes. Apart from washing away necessities and food crops, the floods also leave behind them a moist and dingy surrounding — home to vector-borne diseases. After the receding of the floods, spread of a host of fungal and viral diseases follow for months to come. What is more worrying is that the media coverage, and subsequently the public discourse and policy initiatives remain lacking on this front. Another major fallout is related to the impact of climate change. After the waters recede, the north Bihar districts experience alternative drought-like dry spells — very much on the line of central India regions like Vidarbha. So, water remains a problem all throughout the year. Very little is evident on the part of the Bihar government in tackling these issues. Chief Minister Nitish Kumar who is continuously leading the state since 2005 has largely been unable to provide any long-term solution to the problem. The CM has made an aerial inspection of the flood-affected regions in the present situation and will certainly provide relief measures to the affected families. However, given the scale and depth of the problem and its increasing frequency, more sophisticated protocols need to be drawn. At this point, two factors need to be taken into account while planning the way out of the crisis — the first is ascertaining differential impact and character of floods, and the second is climate change which seems to directly affect the population of the state. Further, there is a need for a thorough assessment of the fact why and where the embankments are failing to serve their purpose. The challenges ahead for the government are mounting but that could become easy once a start is made. Notably, neighbouring communities of affected regions often come to support the suffering population. The state government can also create localised help providing institutions that could be mobilised during a crisis, taking help from the locals as well. There is no doubt that a continued human misery prevails in certain regions of the state. The living conditions they are being forced into is a blot on the face of any civilised society. This has to end sooner. Words fail to explain that human misery; only acts could solve the problem.