Sources in the Water Resources Department said the swelling Gandak river had breached a small portion (10 feet) of the embankment near Batardeh in Gopalganj. A huge contingent of engineers, contractors, labourers and locals were making tireless effort to plug the breach.
Meanwhile, 1.5 lakh people under four panchayats have been evacuated, while around 10 lakh people still face the threat of an imminent flood.
The District Magistrate Bala Murugan and SP K S Anupam are camping at the embankment site. The Disaster Management Department has sought assistance of National Disaster Response Force, which is moving four additional teams from Orissa. Besides, several motorboats have been sent to the affected place. Around 1,500 tents and 10,000 polythene sheets have been arranged. The government has also sanctioned Rs 18 crore as advance grant for relief work.
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