Major causes of floods in Bihar | BPSC Preparation: All subjects - BPSC (Bihar) PDF Download

Floods in Bihar

According to the government of Bihar Flood Management Information System Cell, the floods in Bihar can be divided into four categories.

Class-1: Flash floods due to abundant rainfall in Nepal.

Class-2: River floods

Class-3: Congestion of drainage in river confluence.

Class-4: Permanently water-logged area.

Geographically, 73.63% of the area of north Bihar is prone to floods. Out of 38 districts of Bihar, 28 districts are affected with floods which cause a huge loss of property, lives, and Infrastructure. Out of 28 flood-affected districts of Bihar, 15 districts are worst affected. As per Rashtriya Barh Aayog (2006), it has been estimated that about 24% of the total flood-affected population of India resides in the flood plains of Bihar.

Floods affected districts of bihar

Extremely flood-prone districts of Bihar

1. Muzaffarpur
2. Vaishali
3. Sitamarhi
4. Sheohar
5. Darbhanga
6. East Champaran
7. Madhubani
8. Samastipur
9. Saharsa
10. Supaul
11. Madhepura
12. Khagaria
13. Bhagalpur
14. Katihar
15. Darbhanga

The 13 districts affected by floods in Bihar (2019)

1. Sheohar.
2. Sitamarhi.
3. East Champaran.
4. Madhubani.
5. Araria.
6. Kishenganj.
7. Supaul.
8. Darbhanga.
9. Muzaffarpur.
10. Saharsa.
11. Katihar.
12. Purnea.
13. West Champaran.

Factors responsible for floods of Bihar

• Large scale deforestation in the upper catchment areas reduces the infiltration of rainwater.
• Consequently, it increases the tendency of the magnitude of floods in Bihar.
• Construction of roads, buildings, pavements and courtyards also reduces the infiltration of rainwater.
• Due to the increase of urbanisation, the process of cementation is increasing day-by-day.
• Poor drainage system.
• Heavy rainfall for a longer period.
• The bursting of clouds.
• Massive erosion along the river banks.
• Shifting of river channels.
• Deposition of silt, sand and clay in the flood plains.
• Choked drains and nallas.

Steps to control floods in Bihar

• The afforestation in the upper catchment areas reduces the magnitude of floods in Bihar by binding the soil into the roots of trees.
• To reduce the volume of floodwater by making reservoirs, wells and ponds.
• By clearing the sediments deposited in the river beds.
• By reducing the slopes of the topography of the flood-affected area of Bihar.
• Formation of channels to allow quick discharge of water.
• By converting the steep slopes into terraces.
• By increasing the flood-affected area under mangroves.
• Using modern and precise estimating and forecasting tools.
• Cementation of both the sides of the riverbank to reduce the chances of lateral erosion caused by the river.
• Diversion of floodwater in the low-lying areas or artificial channels by dykes, walls and stone spurs.

Government Initiatives to reduce the floods of Bihar

• The government of Bihar has provided the modern rescue operation kits to the flood-prone districts.
• Providing ten motorboats to each of 28 flood-prone districts of Bihar.
• The national disaster response force (NDRF) team is proving training to home guards of Bihar.
• The state government has started construction of 200 flood shelters in the flood-affected districts of Bihar.
• Master trainers have been trained by NDRF in Bihar for search and rescue operation, first aid, capacity building and awareness campaign.
• Various projects on inter-linking of rivers have been planned.

Inter-linking of rivers to reduce floods of Bihar

Inter-linking canals directly related to Bihar

• Kosi-Mechi Link Canal.
• Kosi-Ghaghara Link Canal.
• Sone dam-southern tributaries of Ganga Link Canal.
• Chunar-Sone Barrage Link Canal.
• Brahmaputra-Ganga (Manas-Sankosh-Teesta-Ganga) Link canal.
• Gandak-Ganga Canal.

Floods are indeed the natural phenomenon and one cannot entirely get rid of them but, their frequency and impact can be reduced through proper management by using human resources, better warning systems and various control measures.