Bihar CM Nitish Kumar holds meeting to review increasing level of Mahananda, Kosi Bagmati, Gandak rivers

Patna: Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Sunday (June 28) held a meeting to review the alarming increasing level of the rivers Mahananda, Kosi, Bagmati and Gandak.

He also inquired about the situation after heavy rains lashed several parts of Bihar in the last 24 hours.

1 अणे मार्ग स्थित संकल्प में जल संसाधन विभाग के अंतर्गत उत्कृष्ट सिंचाई उन्नत फसल अभियान, बागमती बाढ़ प्रबंधन योजना फेज-3 बी एवं 5 की समीक्षा की।https://t.co/7KNohjSLtM pic.twitter.com/dGrbeJip2D — Nitish Kumar (@NitishKumar) June 28, 2020

CM directed officials to be alert and be extra cautious in the areas that were severely hit by floods in 2019.

The meeting was also attended by State's Water Resources Department Minister Sanjay Kumar Jha, Chief Secretary Deepak Kumar, Disaster Management Principal Secy Pratyaya Amrit, CM's Secretaries Manish Kumar Verma, Anupam Kumar and other officials of the Water Resources department.

1 अणे मार्ग स्थित संकल्प में लगातार हो रही वर्षा के कारण नदियों के जलस्तर में वृद्धि को देखते हुए समीक्षा बैठक की।https://t.co/DUxsxCgrBK pic.twitter.com/z4dob34FS2 — Nitish Kumar (@NitishKumar) June 28, 2020

Earlier on June 26, around 92 people died in over 24 districts across Bihar due to lightning strikes with the Gopalganj district recording the highest number of deaths where 13 people lost their lives.

Reportedly, most of the people who died were reportedly working in the fields. The injured have been admitted to hospitals. 

As of Friday, about 10 districts were in the Red Zone. Of these, heavy to very heavy rains were predicted in East Champaran, West Champaran, Gopalganj, Sitamarhi, Madhubani, Supaul, Araria, Kishanganj, Purnia, Saharsa, and Madhepura districts.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah also talked to CM Nitish on Sunday about the rising water level and assured him of all the possibile help from the central government.

बिहार में महानंदा नदी के बढ़ते जलस्तर को लेकर मैंने मुख्यमंत्री श्री @nitishkumar जी से बात की और उन्हें बिहार की जनता की सुरक्षा के लिए केंद्र सरकार की ओर से हर संभव मदद का आश्वासन दिया।

— Amit Shah (@AmitShah) June 28, 2020

Meanwhile, IMD senior scientist, Naresh Kumar said that Bihar and northeastern states will receive heavy rainfall in the coming two days.

"Central India is likely to receive moderate rainfall in coming days. Heavy spell is likely to continue over this region again for five days. If we talk about Bihar we are expecting isolated heavy to very heavy rainfall up to 12 centimetre likely to continue for next two days and there after it will decrease," ANI quoted Kumar.