Stories
Swollen Gandak River Threatens Embankments in Bihar, Breaches Reported
- •The Gandak river continues to flow above its Highest Flood Level (HFL) in several Bihar districts due to heavy rainfall in Nepal and UP, endangering embankments.
- •Water levels at Dumariaghat in Gopalganj and Revaghat in Saran/Lalganj in Vaishali remained significantly above previous HFLs for extended periods, causing extreme pressure on embankments.
- •Breaches occurred in the right embankment in Panapur block of Saran district and a ring embankment of the Tirhut Main Embankment in Sahebganj block of Muzaffarpur district.
- •The Ganga river flowing above the danger mark is creating backflow pressure in the Gandak, worsening the situation, with seepage and piping reported at vulnerable points.
- •While the Gandak's water level has started receding, it remains above HFL, and hydraulic pressure is expected to persist for 48 hours; other rivers like Bagmati, Burhi Gandak, and Ghagra are also rising.
Key Questions Answered
The high water levels and previous Highest Flood Level (HFL) exceedances of the Gandak river have put embankments at severe risk in districts such as Gopalganj, Saran, Vaishali, and Muzaffarpur, while low-lying areas in Patna, Bhojpur, East and West Champaran, and Supaul have also been affected.
Heavy rainfall in Nepal and Uttar Pradesh caused the Gandak river to flow above its previous Highest Flood Level at several locations. This high hydraulic pressure led to a breach in the right embankment in Panapur block of Saran district and a ring embankment breach in Muzaffarpur's Sahebganj block, further aggravated by the Ganga river's backflow pressure.
The Gandak river recorded its highest flood discharge of 2026 at 5,43,500 cusecs at Valmikinagar on September 28, while the Kosi river reached a peak discharge of 3,13,595 cusecs at Birpur on September 26.
