Flood threat in several Bihar, UP districts as Nepal rains trigger breach in Gandak embankment

Severe flash floods began in Nepal and spilled over into Bihar and Uttar Pradesh after breaching the Gandak embankment. The Nepalese rains caused heavy rainfall in the Gandak River basin, prompting a breach of the Gandak embankment at Bagaha. The Gandak River discharged 5,43,500 cusecs at the Valmikinagar Gandak Barrage, maintaining a flow greater than 500,000 cusecs for 13 hours and over 400,000 cusecs for 32 hours.

Numerous districts in Bihar and Uttar Pradesh faced inundation, including West Champaran, East Champaran, Gopalganj, Saran, Muzaffarpur, and Vaishali. While the peak discharge was slightly less than the 2024 record, the river reached a new historical record at the Bagaha gauge site, with water levels hitting 91.25 meters. Emergency repairs secured 169 seepage and piping points, but critical breaches still occurred, particularly in West Champaran.

As of Tuesday morning, water levels had started to recede at the Valmikinagar Barrage, with downstream discharge decreasing to 191,200 cusecs. However, upstream and downstream gauge levels remained high, and the flood's effects continued to impact regions downstream. Authorities have dispatched response teams to manage breach repairs and emergency protection works across affected areas.