Bettiah: Fear of a possible flash flood in the Gandak following devastating flooding in Nepal kept residents of riverine and low-lying areas of West Champaran awake through Wednesday night. Hundreds of villagers moved to safer locations following an appeal by the administration. By Thursday morning, as the river recorded only a normal rise and the threat receded, they returned home with a sigh of relief.Residents of Chakdahwa, Bin Toli, Jhandahwa Tola and Kanha Toli in Lakshmipur Rampurwa panchayat of Bagaha-2 block were evacuated with the help of the administration and SSB and sheltered at the govt school in Bherihari. A community kitchen was arranged for them.Chakdahwa resident Gulab Ansari said videos of devastation in Nepal circulating on social media had heightened anxiety. “It appeared that the water coming from Nepal could cause massive destruction along the Gandak. When the administration appealed to people to move to higher ground, several families went to relatives’ homes, while others took shelter at the government school. After learning in the morning that the Gandak had recorded only a normal rise in water level, we heaved a sigh of relief and returned home. Hundreds of people from our area had taken shelter with us at the upgraded middle school in Bherihari,” he said.Devmuni Yadav of Mangalpur said villagers repeatedly visited the riverbank through the night to assess the situation, while many families moved women and children to safer places.In Singhai village of Bairia block, Lal Mohammad said the arrival of officials to evacuate residents had initially sparked fears of a major disaster. “When the administration officials themselves came to take us to a higher place, we became frightened. It felt as if everything was going to end. Throughout the night, we were worried about our families, livestock and crops in the diara area. Now that the situation has returned to normal, coming back to the village has brought a sense of relief,” he said.The administration carried out precautionary evacuations in Madhubani, Bagaha-2, Yogapatti, Bettiah and Nautan blocks. District magistrate Taranjot Singh said seven community kitchens were set up for evacuated residents.Around midnight, the Gandak Barrage control room released 1.50 lakh cusecs of water downstream, after which the water level began receding. Residents returned home on Thursday morning, though the administration advised them to remain alert.
