Ganga continues to be flooded in Bihar, Brahmaputra becoming concern

New Delhi, Aug 15 (IANS) For the second consecutive week, the main Ganga is flowing in a severe flood situation, due to combined effect of river runoff from the Yamuna and its northern tributaries, while heavy rains predicted in the catchment of Brahmaputra and its tributaries for next two to three days have prompted the Central Water Commission (CWC) to put the region's states, especially West Bengal and Assam, on alert.

As per the CWC Flood Forecasting Network on Sunday, one station in Bihar is is in 'Extreme Flood Situation', 31 stations -- 21 are in Bihar, six in Uttar Pradesh, two in Assam and one each in Jharkhand and West Bengal -- are in 'Severe Flood Situation' and 25 stations - 10 in Bihar, six in Uttar Pradesh, seven in Assam and one each in Arunachal Pradesh and West Bengal - are flowing in 'Above Normal Flood Situation'.

The CWC has issued 'Inflow Forecast' for 14 barrages and dams - five in Karnataka, two each in Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand, Tamil Nadu, and Andhra Pradesh, and one in West Bengal, the CWC flood forecasting and advisory bulletin said on Sunday.

The main Ganga stem is flowing in severe flood situations in Ghazipur (Uttar Pradesh) to Murshirabad (West Bengal) districts. From Ghazipur to Ballia (UP), the river is in falling to steady state, whereas from Patna and downstream, it is flowing with rising trend.

"Alert may be kept in districts of Varanasi, Ghazipur, and Ballia (UP), Buxar, Patna, Munger, Bhagalpur (Bihar), Sahibganj (Jharkhand), and Malda and Murshirabad (West Bengal). Propagating peak inflow will further increase the water level of main Ganga stem in Bihar, Jharkhand and West Bengal in next 2 to 3 days," the CWC said.

Currently, Ganga, at CWC site Hathidah in Patna district, is flowing above high flood level with the water level at 4 p.m. observed at 43.45 m and expected water level at 8 a.m. on Monday is 43.49 m. Rate of water level rise has decreased, hence its expected to steady in one or two days, it said.

At the Bhagalpur site of the CWC, water level of Ganga is expected to cross high flood level by 4 p.m. on Monday and expected level at site by then will be 34.76 m.

Middle reaches of Ganga in districts such as Badaun and Farrukhabad (UP) are in above normal flood situations. River Ghaghra in Barabanki, Ayodhya & Ballia (UP) and Siwan and Saran (Bihar) districts is flowing in above normal to severe flood situations with rising trend due to past two days rainfall in the catchment.

The Rapti is flowing in severe to above normal flood situation in Balrampur, Siddharth Nagar and Gorakhpur districts (UP). River Sone and Punpun are flowing in severe flood situation in Patna.

"Currently, the flood that originated in tributaries of Yamuna last week is passing through Ganga and it may take another 3 to 4 days to pass through completely; in such situation further runoff created due to intense rainfall in the catchments of north tributaries of Ganga may not stream into Ganga easily. The flooding situation in districts such as Ballia (UP), Saran, Bhagalpur, Khagaria, Vaishali, and Katihar (Bihar) may get accentuated," the CWC warned.

River Kosi in Supaul, Khagaria and Katihar districts, Bagmati in Sitamarhi, Muzzafarpur, and Darbhanga districts, Gandak in Gopalganj, Muzaffarpur and Vaishali districts, Adhwara in Darbhanga district, Kamla and Kamlabalan in Madhubani district, Burhi Gandak in Samastipur and Khagaria districts, Parman in Araria, Mahananda in Purnia and Katihar districts are flowing in "above normal" to "severe flood situations".

Flow in Gandak has increased with rising trend. Flow in Bagmati has increased in its upper reaches and that of Kosi has increased in middle and lower reaches. Hence flood situations may exist in the lower reaches of these rivers in the coming days, the bulletin said.

In the Brahmaputra basin, the IMD has predicted very heavy rains in the catchment of river and its tributaries for next three to four days, hence, "alert may be kept in north West Bengal, Assam, Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh, and Meghalaya, mainly in districts Kokrajhar, Barpeta, Baksa, Nalbari, Karimganj (Assam) and South-West Khasi hills, East Khasi Hills (Meghayala), whole Sikkim state," the CWC bulletin said.

Currently, due to past two to three days rainfall, rivers in the Brahmaputra basin are in rising trend. "Jia-Bharali in Sonitpur district, and Brahmaputra in Jorhat are flowing in severe flood situation with rising trend. River Beki in Barpeta, Gurang in Kohrajhar, river Teesta in Jalpaiguri, river Siang in East Siang (Arunachal Pradesh), river Puthimari in Kamrup and river Brahmaputra in Dibrugarh districts are flowing in 'above normal' flood situation with rising trend, the CWC said.