KATHMANDU: Koshi River, carrying a record water flow, has burst after reaching Bihar, India.
The river breached the western dam near Bhubhaug village in the Kiratpur block of Darbhanga district on Monday night, entering the settlement.
Several villages in Bihar are now submerged due to the breach of the Koshi River. On Tuesday, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, along with others, conducted an aerial inspection of the area where the river had flooded into settlements.
Bihar’s Water Resources Department reported on Tuesday that many villages in Darbhanga district have been affected by the flood caused by the dam breach. Government officials are currently reviewing the status of the flood and the embankments.
Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has directed the concerned agencies to work on a war footing to protect the villages from flooding. The department stated that government officials have been instructed to immediately provide security assistance to the affected areas.
By Tuesday, 200,000 embankment-resistant bags and 507,000 nylon crates were prepared in the area where the Koshi River had entered the settlement. However, the flood has now gone out of control, and the affected areas remain submerged. The Government of Bihar has yet to determine the exact number of affected individuals.
According to local resident Ganesh Mukhiya, the breach has significantly impacted the residents of Musahari and Kanun Tola. Three locals from this settlement have been swept away by the floodwaters of the Koshi River.
When Koshi breached the dam and entered the village, three locals, including a husband and wife, went missing in Bhubhaug village. Many residents evacuated their homes after the dam breach on Monday night. While others escaped, it is reported that these three individuals were swept away by the Koshi River as it flooded the village.
Meanwhile, Bihar’s Water Resources Department Minister, Vijay Chaudhary, addressed questions from journalists about the flood. He expressed surprise at the unprecedented rainfall in Nepal, which caused this situation.
He stated that due to this rainfall, massive floods have occurred in several rivers in Nepal. According to him, for the first time in 56 years, a record 661,000 cusecs of water flowed through the Koshi Barrage.
On the other hand, for the first time in 21 years, 562,000 cusecs of water flowed through the Gandak Barrage. This is why massive floods have occurred in the Koshi, Gandak, Bagmati, Mahananda, and other rivers. So far, seven embankments have been breached by rivers originating from Nepal in Bihar.
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