Patna: Incessant rain along with rising water levels of several rivers on Saturday triggered a flood-like situation in many low-lying areas of the state, officials said. Several low-lying areas of Patna, Vaishali, Muzaffarpur, Bhagalpur, Bhojpur, Khagaria, Purnea, Madhepura, Saharsa and Katihar districts witnessed a flood-like situation, they said. According to the latest bulletin of the Water Resources Department (WRD), "the Ganga river is flowing above danger level (till 9 am on Saturday) at places like Maner, Danapur, Digha Ghat, Gandhi Ghat, Banka Ghat and Hathidah. The water level of other rivers across the state has also risen following incessant rains over the past two to three days."
More than 89,000 people were shifted from low-lying areas to relief camps in Patna district on Friday, while 21,700 people in Bhojpur district have been evacuated and brought to relief camps, officials said. The Disaster Management Department bulletin said, "Districts situated along the Ganga, including Patna, Bhojpur, Vaishlai, Lakhisarai, and Bhagalpur, are experiencing a flood-like situation, and people living in low-lying areas have been affected by rising water levels of the river Ganga and Kosi, following torrential rainfall. While 21,700 affected people in 11 panchayats in Bhojpur district have been evacuated and brought to relief camps, 89,250 people in Patna were shifted to camps on Friday." The Disaster Management department has asked the administration of the concerned districts to remain on alert and take preventive measures. Almost all rivers are maintaining a rising trend throughout their courses, engulfing low-lying localities along their courses in the state. Officials in the state Water Resources Department (WRD) on Saturday maintained that there is no alarming situation in the state so far with regard to the flood situation. Rains in the past few days have raised the water level of the rivers Ganga, Gandak, Kosi, Ganga, Burhi Gandak, Mahananda and Kamla rivers in the state.