The Central Water Commission (CWC), under the Ministry of Jal Shakti, issued a special flood advisory for Bihar on Wednesday after detecting a sudden rise in water levels in the Trishuli river at Furke Khola in Nepal, roughly 160 km from the Indian border, suspected to have been triggered by a Glacial Lake Outburst Flood (GLOF) near the Nepal-China border.
The advisory, issued by the Flood Forecast Monitoring Directorate and signed by Deputy Director Vikas Barbele, warns that the resulting flood wave is expected to travel downstream into the Gandak river with peak attenuation, and could reach areas along the India-Nepal border in Bihar and Uttar Pradesh.
What the advisory says
The Commission has asked local authorities in Bihar and Uttar Pradesh near the India-Nepal border along the Gandak river to remain alert and closely monitor the situation as the flood wave moves downstream. It has advised that necessary precautionary measures be taken along the river where required, and specifically recommended that the gates of the Gandak Barrage be operated in a manner that allows the anticipated flood surge to pass through safely.
Context: Nepal floods and cross-border impact
The advisory comes hours after a flash flood tore through Nepal’s Rasuwa district, killing at least seven people and leaving hundreds of tourists and locals missing, an event that also prompted Prime Minister Narendra Modi to speak with his Nepali counterpart, Balendra Shah, and pledge humanitarian assistance. Wednesday’s CWC advisory suggests the disaster’s downstream effects could extend into Indian territory via the Gandak river system, which originates in Nepal and flows through Bihar before joining the Ganga.
Officials in Bihar and Uttar Pradesh are expected to step up monitoring of river levels and embankments in the coming days as the flood wave makes its way through the Gandak basin. The Ministry of Jal Shakti’s Flood Forecast Monitoring Directorate said it would continue to track the situation and issue further updates as necessary.