The flood situation in Bihar worsened again, following heavy rain in catchment areas of major rivers, forcing authorities to issue red alert in two districts even as 15 more deaths were reported in the past 24 hours.

Several lakhs of cusec of water were on Thursday  released from Valmiki and Birpur barrages, as all three major rivers of Gandak, Kosi and Bagmati were in spate, officials of Central Water Commission said. Gopalganj district magistrate Ramesh Lal on Thursday said that the Saran embankment threatens to breach due to heavy discharge of water in the Gandak from Valmiki barrage. About five lakh cusec of water were released in the river.

Lal has asked the engineers and circle officers to be ready to meet any eventuality and initiate measures to save the Saran embankment. A similar communique was also issued by West Champaran district magistrate Mihir Kumar Singh, after heavy erosion of the Gandak embankment at Shastrinagar in Bagaha town of the district.

A Saharsa report quoting district magistrate Narmdeshwar Lal said that a red alert has been sounded after increase in the water level of the Kosi due to discharge of 3.35 lakh cusec of water from Birpur barrage.

In both the districts, the engineers have been directed to maintain a round-the-clock vigil on the embankments.
The state disaster management control room said that the toll in the current wave of floods rose to 626 with 15 more deaths reported during the past 24 hours.