Ganga Breaches Highest Flood Mark at Gandhi Ghat, Over 10 Lakh Affected Across Bihar
Patna faced its gravest flood threat in years on Saturday as the Ganga river breached its highest-ever recorded flood mark at Gandhi Ghat, with water levels crossing the danger line by 1.93 metres. Over 10.26 lakh people across 11 Bihar districts have been displaced or affected, prompting Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary to conduct an aerial survey of the worst-hit areas. Rescue and relief operations are underway across 14 districts as the monsoon surge continues.
Ganga Crosses Danger Level by 1.93 Metres in Patna
According to The News Mill, the Ganga crossed the danger level by a striking 1.93 metres in Patna, with a flood alert issued across Bihar. The river's water level at Gandhi Ghat in Patna surpassed the designated danger mark by nearly two metres, a figure that authorities described as alarming given the sustained monsoon rainfall across the Himalayan catchment areas feeding the river. Flood alerts were issued for multiple districts in the state as the administration braced for further inundation. Low-lying areas along the river's banks in Patna were among the first to feel the impact, with water entering residential colonies and service lanes. Officials coordinated with district administrations to monitor river levels continuously and deploy resources in advance of any further rise. The extent of the breach underscored the severity of this year's monsoon season in Bihar, with the Ganga carrying a far heavier volume of water than in recent comparable periods. [6]
Knee-Deep Water Reaches Patna's Bhadraghat and Mahavir Ghat Service Lanes
The New Indian Express reported that in Patna, the Ganga was flowing around two feet above the danger mark, with knee-deep water visibly reaching service lanes near Bhadraghat and Mahavir Ghat, two prominent riverside locations in the city. The report captured aerial imagery of flood-affected areas including Bind Toli, showing the scale of inundation across residential pockets adjacent to the river. In total, 13 districts across Bihar were placed on flood alert, with roads and homes reported as submerged. The Ganga's rise forced residents in low-lying localities to vacate their homes as water entered ground floors. Municipal and district authorities coordinated emergency response measures, including the movement of people to higher ground and the deployment of boats for rescue operations in areas where road access had been cut off by the rising waters. The imagery and field reports indicated conditions worse than in previous monsoon seasons. [7]
10.26 Lakh Hit as CM Samrat Choudhary Conducts Aerial Survey
ETV Bharat reported that approximately 10.26 lakh people across 11 districts were affected as the Ganga breached its highest flood mark at two separate locations in Bihar. The districts impacted included Patna, Bhojpur, Saran, Vaishali, Bhagalpur, Begusarai, Buxar, Samastipur, Munger, Katihar, and Araria. Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary undertook an aerial survey of the affected regions to personally assess the ground situation and review relief and rescue operations in progress. The survey allowed authorities to identify the most severely inundated localities and redirect resources accordingly. Gandhi Ghat in Patna, a major riverside landmark, was specifically highlighted as a location where rising waters submerged the area visibly, with people wading through flooded streets in photographs published from the scene. The CM's aerial assessment was seen as a signal that the state government was treating the flood situation as a top administrative priority, with relief camps being set up in affected districts. [8]
Bhagalpur and Naugachia Hit Hard as Relief Operations Ramp Up
DT Next reported that Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary conducted an aerial survey specifically over flood-hit areas in Bhagalpur and Naugachia, reviewing relief and rescue operations in those zones. Independent MP Rajesh Ranjan was also reported distributing relief aid to flood-affected residents at Nakta Diara in Patna, indicating that both the state administration and elected representatives were mobilising on the ground. The Ganga's breach of the highest flood mark at two points placed significant pressure on embankments and protective infrastructure across the affected districts. Rescue teams were deployed to evacuate stranded residents, particularly from villages in low-lying areas where the river had spread well beyond its normal course. Relief camps were set up to provide shelter, food, and medical assistance to those displaced by the floods. Authorities issued advisories urging residents in vulnerable zones to shift to safer locations as the water level was expected to remain high for several more days given the upstream rainfall. [9]
🗳️ Sutli Bomb Thrown Into Patna College Campus, Police Probe Launched
ANI News reported a separate but serious incident on Saturday in which a sutli bomb was allegedly thrown into the Patna College campus, triggering widespread panic among students and staff present on the premises. Police swiftly launched an investigation into the incident, with Peerbahore SHO Rajkumar Singh leading the initial probe. The nature of the device — a sutli bomb, a crude improvised explosive commonly associated with street-level disturbances — raised concerns about law and order within and around one of Patna's most prominent educational institutions. Authorities cordoned off the area as part of their investigation and attempted to identify those responsible for the act. The incident added to the overall sense of unease in Patna at a time when the city was already grappling with significant flooding and emergency conditions along the Ganga riverfront. Police were gathering witness accounts and reviewing available footage to establish the sequence of events leading up to the bombing. [5]
Sources: [6] The News Mill · [7] The New Indian Express · [8] ETV Bharat · [9] DT Next · [5] ANI News