The rapid rise in water levels in the Bagmati River has caused floodwaters to enter hundreds of houses in 18 panchayats in the Muzaffarpur district of Bihar. Due to this, lakhs of people in those panchayats have lost contact with the block headquarters and district headquarters, causing significant distress. Water has also risen on both sides of the Pipapul.
Many schools in those areas have been filled with floodwater, disrupting the education of hundreds of children. “When the water in the Bagmati River rises, floods like this happen at the school. We were present at the school on time, and children also arrived on time, but there is water at knee level. We have informed the authorities of the situation and have given the kids a holiday. We will proceed according to the further orders of the authorities,” said a school staffer on Saturday.
Water has also entered more than hundreds of houses in Barri and Basghatta Panchayats. At the same time, there is rapid land erosion happening on the old embankment of the West Bagmati River from Gangia to Bakuchi Chowk.
Expressing their distress, a flood-affected villager said, “We are making food in the water; children are starving; our house is full of water; we are scared of snakes, but we don’t have a choice. No one from the administration has come here.”
“The floodwater has entered our house for four days. Our stove has been drowned, and somehow we are preparing food to satisfy the hunger of children. This situation happens every year during floods,” said another villager.
Katra Circle Officer Madhumita Kumari stated, “We received information that the water level of the Bagmati River has risen. The district administration instructed us to monitor the panchayats. We took stock of 3 panchayats and have arranged 5 boats.” Officials from the water department have also been instructed to prepare a list of affected people. The administration is on full alert regarding floods. Instructions have also been given to repair the dam after receiving information about erosion.
