Bihar on alert as Ganga breaches highest flood level; Delhi gets orange alert
Ganga flows above highest flood level in Bihar; heavy rain triggers flood alerts in Bihar, UP, Delhi-NCR, and other north Indian states.
A flood-like situation is unfolding across parts of Bihar as multiple rivers, including the Ganga, Burhi Gandak, Kosi, and Bagmati, continue to rise following heavy rainfall in catchment areas in Jharkhand and Nepal. The Ganga's water level at Gandhi Ghat in Patna rose by 10 cm on Saturday morning, pushing the river one centimetre above its highest recorded flood level.
Officials have identified Patna, Bhojpur, Vaishali, Lakhisarai, and Bhagalpur as districts facing a flood threat. The Ganga is flowing above the danger mark at several locations, including Digha Ghat, Gandhi Ghat, Hathidah, and Maner in Patna, as well as in Buxar, Munger, Bhagalpur, and Kahalgaon. The Punpun river is also above the danger level at Sripalpur and Punpun, while the Ghaghra has crossed the mark at Darauli and Siwan.
No casualties have been reported so far. People living in river floodplains have been moved to safer locations. The Bihar Disaster Management Department has issued advisories urging people to avoid entering floodwaters, stay away from electricity poles in inundated areas, and use halogen tablets to disinfect drinking water. A helpline has been shared on the department's social media platforms.
Bihar Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary has conducted an aerial survey of the affected areas and reviewed relief and rescue operations. Officials have been directed to monitor the situation closely and report any unusual rise in water levels immediately.
The flooding in Bihar comes as heavy rain continues across North and East India. In Uttar Pradesh, around 3.53 lakh people in 26 districts are affected by floods. The Ganga and Ghaghra are running high, with the Ganga above the danger level in parts of the state. The UP government has deployed over 1,600 flood outposts, nearly 1,700 boats and motorboats, more than 1,000 medical teams, and over 1,300 flood shelters.
In Delhi-NCR, heavy rain since Friday has triggered an orange alert. Several roads in Delhi and Gurugram were waterlogged, leading to traffic congestion. Waterlogging around the Indira Gandhi International Airport affected movement, and an airline warned that bad weather could disrupt domestic flight schedules.
In Himachal Pradesh, 102 roads remained closed following rainfall, with Mandi accounting for the highest number of blockages. The weather office has issued a yellow alert for heavy rain at isolated places. Punjab and Haryana received moderate rainfall, while parts of Rajasthan recorded heavy to very heavy showers. Khandar in Sawai Madhopur recorded 130 mm of rain in the 24 hours ending Friday morning. More heavy to very heavy rainfall is forecast at isolated places in eastern and southeastern Rajasthan, with several parts of North India likely to continue experiencing rain over the next few days.