Flood scare in Jharkhand’s Sahibganj as Ganga crosses danger mark

Flood situation is looming large in Jharkhand’s Sahibganj district with water level in the Ganga river crossing the danger mark on Sunday. In view of the situation, the administration has issued an alert for people living in flood-prone and low-lying areas of the district. Water level in Damodar river is also rising at Panchet in Dhanbad.

Office in-charge of Central Water Commission (CWC), Sahibganj, Ranjit Kumar Mishra said they recorded the level in Ganga river at 27.32 metre at 6am on Sunday against the danger level of 27.25 metre. The trend of the level is rising, he said.

The rising water level in the Ganga has impacted over 70 villages in the district. River water has inundated several low lying areas such as Shobhanpur Bhatha, Mathia, Haripur, Kamaltoal and others, officials said.

Mishra, however, said, “The good sign is that the water level in Ganga is decreasing in Patna and Buxar. So, we could expect a decreasing trend in the Ganga in three-four days.”

Additional collector of Sahibganj, Anmol Singh, said the circle officers of four blocks Rajmahal, Udhwa, Taljhari and Sahibganj have been put on high alert, as they are considered the flood-prone blocks.

“The administration has already identified school buildings, Anganwadi centres and other buildings as rescue centres. We have also a rough estimation of families to be rescued if flood situation arrived. However, situation is still under control in the district,” he said.

“As per our experience, all these measures would require to be taken when water level in the Ganga river reached 28.25m, he said. “However, we are alert and will also call NDRF team from Danapur if required,” he added.

He said the district saw flood-like situation in 2018 when 100 families had to be evacuated to safer place.

The meteorological centre at Ranchi said that rainfall alone was not responsible for the rising water level in the Ganga. “Other factors including water discharge from different dams and rainfall situation in Bihar and Uttar Pradesh are also responsible for rising water level in the Ganga river,” said RS Sharma, forecasting officer at Ranchi Meteorological Centre.

He, however, said Sahibganj is the only district in Jharkhand, which has received surplus rainfall during the monsoon. The district has received 975.2mm rainfall from June 1 to August 25 against the normal rainfall of 898.9mm rainfall, eight percent surplus rainfall.

Although the state is still facing 27% rainfall deficit. It received 559.6mm rainfall from June 1 to August 24 against normal rainfall of 770.7mm rainfall fall. An upper air circulation over Bay of Bengal is likely to reduce the deficit by two to three percent more in 48 hours, weather official said. Of the 24 districts, rainfall deficit has come to normal in seven districts.

“Most parts of the state has received moderate rainfall in past 24 hours due to impact of the upper air circulation. As per current weather situation, moderate rainfall would be received in most parts of the state for next 48 hours. Heavy rain is expected in isolated pockets of southern Jharkhand,” Sharma said.