Several Bihar districts on alert as IMD warns of heavy rain, flash flood

An alert has been sounded in several districts of Bihar as the IMD predicted heavy rain and warned of low to moderate flash flood risk in parts of the state, officials said on Saturday. Heavy rain is likely in West and East Champaran, Sitamarhi, Sheohar, Muzaffarpur, Gopalganj, Siwan, Saran, Vaishali, Patna, Jehanabad, Madhubani and Bhojpur districts, an India Meteorological Department (IMD) bulletin issued on Friday said. "These districts are at risk of low to moderate flash floods over the next 24 hours," it said. The state disaster management department asked the administration of the districts to remain on alert and take preventive measures in the wake of the forecast. Around 12 districts situated along the Ganga, including Buxar, Bhojpur, Saran, Patna, Samastipur, Begusarai, Munger and Bhagalpur, are already experiencing a flood-like situation, and nearly 13.5 lakh people living in low-lying areas have been affected by rising water levels of rivers, following torrential rainfa