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Bagaha : West Champaran District Administration has sounded high alert in the district following sudden rise in the water levels of various hilly rivers including Gandak, Masan, Kosil, Haraha, Pandai, Harbora, Ramrekha, Kapan, Shikarahana and Oriya, which originate from Nepal, on August 12, 2017, night.
Sources in the Water Resources Department (WRD) at Valmikinagar said Nepal suddenly released 4.62 lakh cusec water in river Gandak on August 13 triggering panic among the people in the villages located along the rivers. The villagers are talking about a similar rise in the water level of the river in 1978, 1983 , 1990 and 1993. Block level officials have asked the villager residing in low lying areas to move to safer places. Police surveillance on NH 28 (b) and state highways has been increased.
The flood water has entered the residences of Bagaha SDM and SDPO, Jail premises, court compound and a student of Mangalpur Masarsa was feared drowned under Bagaha-2nd block while a woman reportedly drowned under Sikta block following heavy rains and flood in Haraha river. Flood water of Oriya river has entered Sikta block office, Sikta police station and Sikta SSB border outpost besides over one dozen villages under Narakatiaganj Sub-division of West Champaran district. It also overtopped Bagaha-Valminagar road at many places paralysing road communication.
The movementof trains on Narakatiaganj and Kaptanganj section under Samastipur division of East Central Railway (ECR) was affected on August 13 morning due to damage to a pier of rail bridge number 347 between Bagaha-Khaipokhara rail station, said PWI, Bagaha, Rajesh Kumar. He along with other railways personnel were engaged in restoring the railway traffic.
According to sources, about three lakh people under Bagaha, Sidhav, Piparasi, Madhubani, Bhitaha,Thakaraha, Jogapatti, Bairia, Nautan, Chanpatia, Sikta, Ramnagar and Gaunaha blocks of the district have been affected by the flood in the district and 500 thatched houses have been damaged. About a half dozen wards of Nagar Panchayat, Ramnagar, and one dozen wards of Nagar Parishad, Bagaha, look like floating wards due to flood and rain water. Thousands of people have left their houses and taken shelter at higher places under Ramnagar nagar panchayat.
Marwari Samaj led by Shusil Chhawalia has distributed 5 quintal of flat rice and 50 kg gur among flood victims. SDM, Bagaha, Dharmendra Kumar said that detail reports have been called from various blocks of the sub- division but rescue and relief operation has already started at several places. A report reaching Bagaha from Chilawania panchayat under Bhitaha block said river Gandak was posing threat to right bank of Pipara- Piparasi embankment though anti-erosion protection works are on.