Patna: Bihar has intensified flood preparedness along the Gandak River after flash floods in Nepal’s upper catchment areas raised the risk of a sudden surge, including possible three-metre waves, entering the state. Officials expect 2 to 2.5 lakh cusecs of water to reach the Valmikinagar barrage in West Champaran, with some estimates going higher.
The alert follows a catastrophic flash flood early Wednesday in Nepal’s Rasuwa district near the Tibet border. An earthquake-triggered ice-rock avalanche sent water and debris down tributaries into the Bhote Koshi and Trishuli rivers, which feed the Narayani (Gandak in India). At least 17–19 people were confirmed dead, with hundreds missing, including more than 100 Indian tourists and dozens of Nepali security personnel. Bridges, hydropower projects and riverside settlements suffered heavy damage.
In Bihar, Chief Secretary Pratyaya Amrit chaired a high-level review meeting with district magistrates and police officials of the affected areas. Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary, who also holds the water resources portfolio, ordered continuous monitoring and said a high-level team had been formed. He indicated he would visit Valmikinagar if needed. Union Home Minister Amit Shah spoke to the Chief Minister and assured full central support, with NDRF units being mobilised.
Special vigilance has been ordered in West Champaran, East Champaran, Gopalganj, Saran, Muzaffarpur and Vaishali, with Sitamarhi and Sheohar also under watch. People in low-lying areas of Bagaha and parts of Vaishali have been urged to move to safer locations. District administrations have been directed to keep boats, shelters, community kitchens and evacuation plans ready, conduct night patrols and issue loudspeaker alerts. NDRF teams have been deployed or placed on standby in Gopalganj, Bettiah and Muzaffarpur, with SDRF units and Sashastra Seema Bal quick-reaction teams also available.
The Water Resources Department has opened all 36 gates of the Valmikinagar barrage so that incoming water can flow out freely and is diverting water into canals where possible. By late afternoon, discharge at the barrage stood around 1.04–1.11 lakh cusecs, still below the expected peak. Several stations on the Gandak, including Dumariaghat in Gopalganj and Lalganj in Vaishali, were already above danger or warning levels before the Nepal surge arrived. Other north Bihar rivers such as the Kosi and Burhi Gandak were also running high.
Officials stressed there was no cause for panic but called for full preparedness. “We are maintaining special vigil… There is a possibility of around 3-metre-high flash flood waves,” Chief Secretary Amrit said, appealing to people to follow official instructions and ignore rumours. The next few hours will show how much of the Nepal flood pulse reaches Bihar and how far downstream the rise travels.