Excessive rainfall in Nepal’s catchment areas has led to severe flood in Bihar causing disruption in several districts of North area. This has turned many villages into isolated islands, creating an urgent humanitarian crisis.
West Champaran district has been particularly hard hit. Water from the Harboda River has submerged over a dozen villages in Madhopur and Guanaha Panchayats. Villagers are struggling to cope and are pleading for government aid, which has yet to arrive.
In Madhopur Panchayat’s ward number 6, floodwaters have inundated the area with four to five feet of water. This has rendered access to food and fodder for livestock impossible. Ranu Mishra, a representative of the village body, highlighted the dire situation, stating, “We are pleading with the district administration to at least provide boats if food grains cannot be supplied immediately.”
The flooding is not just a local issue; rivers like the Gandak and Bagmati have caused widespread devastation across multiple regions. In West Champaran’s Yogapatti block, areas like Janakpur and Futwaria Panchayats are underwater due to the Gandak River’s overflow. Similarly, Gopalganj has seen villages like Jigri Tola and Mungraha cut off from the mainland.
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Farmers are facing immense hardship as their crops, including paddy, maize, and sugarcane, have been destroyed. Ashok Thakur, a local farmer, lamented, “Rain doesn’t usually come in September, and this unexpected downpour has devastated us.” He stressed the urgent need for government assistance, as many farmers have taken loans against their crops and are now struggling to stay afloat.
The situation has worsened due to the breaching of embankments. In West Champaran’s Bagaha block, the Gandak River has broken through several embankments. Additionally, the Bagmati River has caused significant breaches in Sitamarhi district, particularly in Bensand and Runni Saidpur blocks. Other areas like Kharauha, Rupauli, and Madhkaul villages have also reported breaches.
In Darbhanga, the situation escalated further when an embankment at Badaul village in Kiratpur block was breached due to strong water flow from the Kosi River. This breach has resulted in severe flooding in Kiratpur and Ghanshyampur blocks, affecting around 25 villages.
Despite efforts from the district administration, including the District Magistrate (DM) and officials from the Water Resource and Disaster Management departments, the embankments have not held up against the powerful currents. Umesh Kumar, the SDO of Darbhanga (Sadar), reported ongoing monitoring of embankments and public alerts via loudspeakers.
Rajiv Roshan, the District Magistrate of Darbhanga, stated that the district is on high alert. “Clear instructions have been given to all officers to regularly monitor the embankments,” he said. He added that food and essential supplies are being distributed in impacted areas like Bilaur, Ghanshyampur, and Taurabora.
The situation calls for immediate government intervention to provide relief and support to these flood-affected communities.
