Alarming rise in Ganga's water level in Bihar due to heavy rain

Continuous rain in the Son river basin is affecting other rivers, including the Ganga, in Bihar, which are also recording a rise in the levels. The water level of the Ganga River in Patna was nearing the danger mark as per the last reports. The Son River's water level has reached its highest in 13 years, with over 150 mm of rainfall in the catchment area in the past 48 hours.

Heavy rain in 11 districts of Madhya Pradesh, five districts of Chhattisgarh, and one district of Jharkhand are impacting the rivers of South Bihar. Water Resources Minister Vijay Kumar Chaudhary has asked engineers to stay on high alert due to the unexpected water discharge in the Son River. They have been asked to closely monitor the embankments.

“The government is ready to deal with any emergency. At present, the situation is completely under control. Engineers have been alerted. The water level of the Ganga is rising due to excessive rain in the basin of the Son River,” Chaudhary said. The basin area of the Son River has experienced heavy rainfall, leading to a record discharge of 5,21,000 cusecs of water from the Indrapuri Barrage.

Due to flooding, water has entered dozens of villages in Rohtas and Aurangabad. The water discharge from the Son River has increased more than 22 times in the last 36 hours, exacerbating the situation. This has affected areas in South Bihar, and the water level of the Ganga River has risen rapidly.

The Ganga's water level, which was below the danger mark in recent days, has suddenly increased more than tenfold. According to the Central Water Commission, the Ganga River in Patna is currently at 49.73 meters, just below the danger mark of 50.60 meters. At Digha Ghat in Patna, the danger level is 50.45 meters, and the Ganga River has reached 49.54 meters. 

At Gandhi Ghat, the danger level is 48.60 meters, and the water level is 48.52 meters, with levels continuing to rise. In 2016, the Son River saw a flow of 11.67 lakh cusecs, which caused flooding in many areas of South Bihar