Patna, The heavy rainfall in the catchment areas of the Gandak river originating from Nepal prompted the Bihar government to step up preparedness in vulnerable districts on Saturday, an official statement said.
The water discharge from the Valmikinagar Barrage on the Gandak river stood at 2,86,800 cusecs at 11 am, while the river was showing a rising trend amid heavy rain in Nepal, prompting the authorities to keep all regional officials on alert, according to the statement.
Chief Secretary Pratyaya Amrit chaired a high-level meeting this morning and directed district administrations to remain on alert and closely monitor river levels, embankments, low-lying areas, riverbank villages, bridges and roads, it said. The alert covers districts linked to the Gandak, Bagmati and Kosi river systems, said a statement issued by the Water Resources Department. The Kosi river has receded, but districts along the river have been asked to maintain vigilance, it said. The authorities have also been instructed to disseminate early warnings through public address systems and evacuate people from vulnerable areas to safe locations, if required, the statement said.
The chief secretary asked district magistrates to maintain coordination among the administration, police, and the departments of water resources and disaster management and keep resources on standby for immediate rescue and relief operations.
At the Birpur Barrage on the Kosi river, the discharge peaked at 3,13,595 cusecs at 6 am on Saturday.
The situation is expected to remain normal, an official said.
