Why Bihar, Uttar Pradesh are on high alert after Nepal flash floods kill at least 9
This comes as devastating flash floods continue to ravage Nepal, with at least 105 Indians among 400 who have gone missing so far
This comes as devastating flash floods continue to ravage Nepal, with at least 105 Indians among 400 who have gone missing so far.
This comes as devastating flash floods continue to ravage Nepal, with at least 105 Indians among 400 who have gone missing so far.
This comes as devastating flash floods continue to ravage Nepal, with at least 105 Indians among 400 who have gone missing so far.
With at least 105 Indians among the list of nearly 400 people missing on Wednesday amid the devastating flash floods in Nepal, Indian authorities have been placed on high alert, as the waves have a chance of moving downstream from the border.
Specifically, authorities in Bihar and Uttar Pradesh have been placed on high alert due to a possible crisis that could happen due to the heavy flow of water along the Gandak River (also known as the Narayani River).
In fact, the Gandak River—that saw the flash floods—is one of several major rivers that flow from the Himalayas and Tibet into Bihar, including the Kosi River.
Bihar CM Samrat Choudhary said that a high-level committee has been constituted to continuously monitor the developing situation.
"A high-level team has been constituted. The Chief Secretary and the DGP are monitoring this, and I am also holding a meeting immediately. If necessary, I will go there myself," he told reporters, as per an NDTV report.
He also conducted an aerial survey of flood-affected parts of Patna, Bhagalpur, Katihar, Naugachia, Begusarai, and Khagaria, alongside Deputy CM Vijay Kumar Chaudhary.
"Situation is being monitored in Bihar due to the flash flood situation in the upper catchment area of the Gandak River in Nepal and the likelihood of a sudden surge in water flow," an official statement from the Disaster Management Department read.
Though various parts of Bihar are also facing floods due to the Ganga River continuing to swell, what adds risk is the fact that the Gandak River is a major left-bank tributary of the Ganga.
The situation in Nepal
The Rasuwa district in Nepal was among the worst hit by after a sudden, massive surge of water entering the Bhote Koshi and Trishuli rivers from the Tibetan side, with at least 105 Indians among the 291 foreigners missing.
93 Nepali nationals also went missing in the floods, which was reportedly caused by a Glacial Lake Outburst Flood (GLOF), or a large-scale ice avalanche. At least nine people have been killed so far.
Local authorities confirmed that it was this avalanche—and not localised rain—that allegedly dammed a river in Tibet’s Kerung area temporarily, which sparked the flash floods.