PATNA: The water levels in several rivers in Bihar have risen due to heavy rain in the last 24 hours, officials said on Sunday. Chief Minister Nitish Kumar directed all officials concerned to remain alert.According to the latest district-wise rainfall bulletin issued by the Meteorological Department on Sunday, “Light to moderate rain was recorded in many districts, including Patna, Banka, Muzaffarpur, Begusarai, Bhagalpur, Bhojpur, Buxar, Gayaji, Jehanabad, Kaimur, Katihar, Khagaria, Munger, Nalanda and Vaishali since August 2.” Several key roads and many low-lying areas in Patna were waterlogged following incessant rain in the state capital on Sunday.The Meteorological Department issued an ‘orange’ alert (be prepared) for several districts, including Patna, Gayaji, Jamui, Aurangabad, Khagaria, Banka, Vaishali, Samastipur, Seikhpura, Lakhisarai, East Champaran, Arwal, West Champaran and Nawada for the next 48 hours.Officials of the state Water Resources Department (WRD) said that incessant rain in several districts has caused rivers and streams to overflow. The increased inflow also caused the water level in many dams to rise, they said.Besides, incessant rainfall in catchment areas of Nepal has also led to the rivers touching or flowing above the danger level in several places, they added.No causality has been reported so far, and in certain areas in East and West Champaran, Bhagalpur and Patna districts, villagers of low-lying areas have been shifted to safer places by the district administration.”Owing to moderate to heavy rain in certain areas in the state, major rivers, including Ganga, Kosi, Sone, Bagmati, Gandak, Kamla, and Adahrwa, are maintaining a rising trend in their courses in the past couple of days,” the latest report of the WRD said.Ganga is flowing above the danger level in Bhagalpur, and at Gandhi Ghat and Hathidah in Patna, Burhi Gandak in East Champaran, and Kosi in Supaul and Khagaria, it added.”Almost all rivers are maintaining a rising trend throughout their courses, engulfing low-lying localities along their courses. However, all embankments are safe,” a senior WRD official said.Meanwhile, the chief minister on Sunday inspected the State Emergency Operations Centre of the Disaster Management Department (DMD).According to a statement issued by the DMD, “During the inspection, the CM reviewed the rainfall situation in the state, water levels of rivers, and the status of crop coverage. Bihar Development Commissioner and Additional Chief Secretary (ACS) of the DMD, Pratyaya Amrit, briefed the CM about the rainfall situation in the state.” The CM directed all officials concerned to remain alert, it added.”From June 1 to August 3 this year, the state recorded 409 mm of rainfall, which is 22 per cent less than normal. The ACS also mentioned that the state received good rainfall in the past 24 hours, with 25 mm or more rainfall recorded in 222 blocks across the state,” the statement said.Regarding the current water levels of rivers in the state, the ACS said that the water levels in the Ganga, Kosi, and Burhi Gandak and some other rivers have risen, but the situation is currently under control.Providing details on crop coverage, he stated that as of August 3, paddy crop coverage in the state stands at 79.43 percent, whereas it was 67.38 percent during the same period last year.It is expected that 100 per cent coverage will be achieved by August 15 under normal circumstances, the statement added.
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