‘We are scared, couldn’t sleep entire night’: Bihar’s Bagaha on alert amid Gandak River flooding concerns

Patna:Bihar is stepping up preparations to deal with any possible aftermath of the flash floods in Nepal, as residents living near the Gandak River remain on alert amid concerns over a rise in water levels and the potential impact downstream.

Bagaha is a major town and subdivisional headquarters located on the banks of the Gandak River in Bihar’s West Champaran district. Following the devastation caused by the flash floods in Nepal, people living close to the river in Bagaha have remained vigilant and are closely monitoring the situation.

A local resident, Balkhandeep Mukhiya, told IANS, “It was a night of fear. The entire village was worried, and we were anxious throughout the night about what would happen. Everyone was worried, and we were also concerned. We could not sleep the whole night and remained restless.”

“Right now, the situation seems normal, but we are still scared as the situation can change anytime,” another local resident said.

“The entire village was awake the entire night. We are very scared. We don’t know what we can do,” another resident said, reflecting the anxiety among people living near the river.

Another resident said authorities have established medical camps and shelters as precautionary measures to remain prepared for any possible emergency.

“We hope everything remains fine. The situation there (Nepal) is devastating. We are also scared,” the resident told IANS.

Amid the severe flooding and widespread destruction in Nepal, Bihar Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary visited Valmikinagar on Thursday and inspected the Gandak Barrage located along the Indo-Nepal border.

During his visit, he reviewed the condition of the barrage’s various sluice gates and assessed the current water level of the Gandak River.

Officials from the Water Resources Department briefed the Chief Minister about the prevailing condition of the river, the possible impact of the floods in Nepal and the preparedness measures put in place by the administration to deal with any emerging situation.

Bagaha SDM Chandni Kumari and SP Rajesh Kumar also briefed Choudhary about the situation in the border areas and the administration’s preparedness to respond to any potential threat.

The Chief Minister directed officials to maintain continuous surveillance of vulnerable locations and ensure that the administration remains fully prepared to respond promptly to any emerging situation.

The Chief Minister said the immediate threat of flooding in Bihar and eastern Uttar Pradesh has been averted for the time being, with the situation gradually returning to normal.

IANS