Motihari: The flood situation in Areraj block of East Champaran worsened after the Gandak river rose above the danger mark and breached the ring bund near Sareya Pandet Tola late Monday night. The floodwater spread rapidly towards around a dozen villages.SDM Sujit Kumar and other officials rushed to the affected areas and are trying to plug the breach. Low-lying areas of Nawada, Mashrauliya and Sareya panchayats have been inundated with water 3 to 5 feet deep. Paddy crops have been completely submerged and water has entered more than 100 houses, forcing residents to move to safer places or rooftops.Schools and anganwadi centres have been closed, while people are using boats to commute. Shortages of drinking water and fodder for domestic animals have also deepened. “Water is everywhere and has submerged my hutment,” said Ramu Nonia of Noniya Tola.Sareya villager Hari Shankar Gupta said around 10,000 people had been affected and were going without food. The SDM has issued an alert in all three panchayats, while NDRF teams and local divers have been deployed.Preparations are under way to evacuate people from affected areas with arrangements being made for dry ration and polythene sheets.
