Patna: The water level of the Ganga has started falling substantially in the last 24 hours, both upstream from Buxar to Hathidah in Patna district and downstream from Munger to Kahalgaon in Bhagalpur. The fall has raised hopes of faster recession of floodwaters in the affected areas.The development is expected to bring relief to people in 15 flood-hit districts, where over 48 lakh people have been affected, according to the disaster management department (DMD). For the first time, the Ganga fell below the danger level at Buxar, where it was 98cm below the mark.The river was flowing 32cm above the danger level at Digha and 96cm at Gandhi Ghat in Patna, compared with over 1.20 metres above the mark at both places on Sunday. At Hathidah, the level had fallen to 1.04 metres above the danger mark.The fall was more significant downstream. The Ganga was flowing 1 cm above the danger level at Munger, 1.71 metres above it at Sultanganj, 46 cm at Bhagalpur town and 1.38 metres at Kahalgaon. The level at Sultanganj had fallen from a high of over 2 metres.The Kosi and Gandak, however, recorded a rise on Monday following medium rainfall in their catchment areas in Nepal and Bihar on Saturday and Sunday. Water discharge through the Birpur barrage on the Kosi rose from 1.37 lakh cusecs on Sunday afternoon to 1.57 lakh cusecs on Monday. Discharge through the Valmikinagar barrage on the Gandak increased to 99,800 cusecs from 86,000 cusecs on Sunday.The Kosi, Gandak, Bagmati and Burhi Gandak were flowing above the danger level at five places, while the Punpun was 1.20 metres above the danger level at Sripalpur.
