Chandra Bhushan Pandey
Motihari : All the major rivers including Gandak , Burhi Gandak, Bagmati, and Lalbakeya and about a dozen hilly rivers criss -crossing East Champaran district are in spate following torrential rains for a week. At 4 pm on July 13, 2019, the water discharge level at Valmikinagar Gandak barrage surged to 1, 77, 800 lakh cusecs. The water level of different
rivers are showing rising trend , according to the office of Chief Engineer, Gandak Flood Control, at Motihari.
The turbulent Bagmati river has already crossed the red mark and flowing 85 cm above it in East Champaran district,
said SDM, Sikrahna, Gyan Prakash. The water of Lalbakeya and Bagmati has inundated around 50 villages of 11 panchayats under Patahi block in eastern part of district. Bagmati has started putting pressure on its right embankment at Dewapur near Pachapakari posing threat to it.
DM, East Champaran, Raman Kumar along with a team of officials on July 13 visited the spot where the embankment has developed cracks and seepage. DM Kumar, in an exemplary manner, himself filled sand in a gunny bag, carried it on his back and put it on the erosion point. His action inspired the villagers and within no time more than 100 villagers joined him and
finally checked the erosion by dumping of sand bags on the spot. DM Kumar asked the flood control engineers to protect the embankment at any cost. DM Kumar said that a team of NDRF will soon reach the place for rescue and relief work.