The Gandak river has triggered severe flooding across north Bihar, with the river crossing its previous record level at Bagaha following massive water releases from Nepal.

The Valmikinagar Barrage released a maximum of 5.43 lakh cusecs of water after heavy rainfall in Nepal’s catchment areas. At Bagaha, the river touched 91.25 metres, breaking the 2024 record of 90.90 metres by 35 centimetres.

More than 20 lakh people across around 28 blocks have been affected in West Champaran, East Champaran, Gopalganj, Saran, Muzaffarpur and Vaishali districts. Nearly 5,000 houses are surrounded by floodwater, and more than 25 schools have shut. Embankment breaches in Areraj and West Champaran let water into more villages.

The Bihar Disaster Management Department said around 82,000 people in West Champaran and Supaul were directly hit, with boats evacuating families from low-lying areas. Nepal’s Devghat gauge station recorded over 6.52 lakh cusecs, its highest this year. Relief camps are being set up as the administration monitors embankments round the clock.