Nepal Floods: UP Border Districts On High Alert, Gandak And Other Rivers Monitored

The administration in Uttar Pradesh’s districts bordering Nepal has stepped up flood preparedness and river monitoring following devastating flash floods in the neighbouring country. High alert has been sounded in Maharajganj and Kushinagar, with officials closely watching the Gandak and other rivers receiving water from Nepal. Authorities are monitoring vulnerable villages, preparing evacuation plans and keeping relief and rescue teams ready in case of a sudden rise in water levels.

The Nepal disaster has killed at least 177 people and left thousands missing, with disaster management authorities reporting 826 people unaccounted for. The floods were triggered after an ice-rock landslide blocked a river near Nepal’s border with China, causing widespread destruction. Nepal Foreign Minister Shisir Khanal has said nearly 300 Indian tourists are among those reported missing. Bridges and roads have also been damaged, leaving several major highways blocked.

In Maharajganj, senior officials have been deployed in vulnerable riverine areas to monitor the Gandak, Darjaniya, Tail Fall and other water channels receiving water from Nepal. Additional District Magistrate Prashant Kumar said water levels and river flows were being monitored continuously and that teams were prepared to respond if conditions deteriorated. Villages along riverbanks and low-lying areas are under close watch, with residents being advised to avoid rivers unnecessarily, follow official advisories and ignore rumours.

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Preparations have also been intensified in Kushinagar, where District Magistrate Mahendra Singh Tanwar and Superintendent of Police Keshav Kumar inspected vulnerable riverside villages and the Valmikinagar barrage. The barrage has been closely monitored, with all 36 gates opened and discharge increasing from about 1.04 lakh cusecs at 8 pm to 1.42 lakh cusecs by 10 pm, according to the district administration. Officials are also watching vulnerable sections of the Narwa Jot AP embankment, while an SDRF team with rescue equipment has been kept on alert.

The Central Water Commission’s August 27 bulletin showed rising water levels at several locations, including the Rapti, Sarju, Kwano and Sarda rivers. The Rapti was rising at Madhwapur in Bihar, while the Sarda at Kabir Ganj in Uttar Pradesh’s Pilibhit was also rising. The Ghagra at Turtipar in Ballia was above its warning level, although the water level there was falling. Border districts including Lakhimpur Kheri, Gonda, Bahraich and Maharajganj are being monitored, with authorities maintaining systems to receive advance information about water releases from Nepal.

Additional precautionary measures have been put in place in vulnerable areas, particularly villages where people and livestock live close to river channels. Loudspeakers are being used to alert residents, while arrangements for drinking water, mobile toilets and other essential facilities are being made. Police and PAC personnel have been deployed in sensitive areas, with additional forces sought. In Balrampur, Gaisri MLA Rakesh Yadav announced that the Samajwadi Party would send medicines, medical equipment, food packets, tents, tarpaulins and drinking water to affected areas in Nepal. Union Minister of State for External Affairs Kirti Vardhan Singh also expressed grief over the disaster and said Indian agencies, including the NDRF, were assisting with search and rescue operations.

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