Panic gripped several villages in Bihar's Gopalganj district on Wednesday after the embankment of the Saran Gandak canal was breached at Kahla Bishunpura under the Barauli police station area. The breach occurred following an excessive release of water from the Gandak river, leading to a rapid influx of water into nearby villages and low-lying areas.
Emergency Response and Repair Operations
Authorities immediately launched emergency repair operations after the breach was reported. Teams from the irrigation department and the district administration rushed to the site and began restoration work on a war footing. The Gopalganj Sadar Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM), Anil Kumar, confirmed that coordination with canal authorities was underway to contain the situation.
“As soon as information about the embankment breach was received, repair work was started. It has also been ensured that no water is released into the canal for the time being so that the flow can be controlled and the damaged portion repaired at the earliest,” SDM Kumar said.
Excessive Water Pressure Blamed for Breach
Executive engineer Dilip Kumar explained that the canal had resumed operations on June 15 and that the department had requested a regulated water supply. “The department had demanded around 1,000 cusecs of water, but nearly 11,000 cusecs were released into the canal. At that time, the Gandak river itself was carrying only about 4,000 to 4,500 cusecs of water. The excessive pressure led to the embankment breach,” he stated.
He added that the primary reason behind the breach was the unusually high water pressure. “There has been no report of any major damage. The water flow has been completely stopped, and repair work is continuing. We expect the situation to return to normal within the next two to three days,” he said.
Monitoring and Restoration Efforts
Officials from the district administration and the irrigation department are camping at the site and monitoring the affected villages while restoration work continues. The authorities have assured that all necessary measures are being taken to prevent further damage and ensure the safety of residents in the affected areas.
