Bihar advisory: avoid flood-carried fish from Nepal after illness reports

Bihar Govt issues advisory against consuming unknown fish swept in from Nepal floodwaters

Patna, September 2

The advisory states that unfamiliar and unusual fish have been found in several flood-affected areas of Bihar, with reports of people falling ill after consuming them.

According to the department, floodwaters cause fish from various ponds, lakes, and rivers to travel to other places. Coming into continuous contact with sewage, dead animals, and other pollutants, these fish become contaminated with harmful bacteria, viruses, and fungi, making them dangerous to people's health.

"During floods, fish escape from ponds, rivers, lakes and reservoirs and travel long distances with the water. Due to prolonged contact with mud, sewage, carcasses and other contaminants, these fish get affected by harmful bacteria, viruses and chemicals, making them unsafe for health. Until the environment stabilises and naturally clean, tested fish become available again, fish caught during floodwaters should not be consumed," the advisory said.

The department appealed to citizens to avoid consuming unknown or unusual-looking fish, refrain from buying, selling or using flood-caught fish for food, not consider any unidentified fish fit for consumption without departmental verification, and seek immediate medical attention at the nearest health centre or hospital if symptoms such as vomiting, diarrhoea, stomach ache, dizziness or breathing difficulty appear after consuming such fish.

Citizens are also urged to inform the district fisheries officer or local administration on spotting such fish

"Please do not pay attention to rumours and completely avoid consuming unknown fish, keeping your safety in mind," the advisory added.

Along with the advisory, the District Fisheries Officer, West Champaran, Nutan said that awareness drives are also being conducted.

"We are conducting awareness programs everywhere and informing the public that the fish coming from Nepal due to the floods are highly infectious and carry many diseases. Consuming them could lead to infectious diseases, which is why a ban is being implemented so that the public does not eat or use these fish; otherwise, the risk of contracting diseases increases significantly. Common symptoms include vomiting, dysentery, and severe abdominal pain. We are also raising awareness among sellers not to sell such fish and advising the general public not to consume, eat, or buy them," he said.

Nepal Police has also issued similar directions for the citizens, urging them to "refrain from consuming fish and other riverine food items carried by the flood into the river."

Meanwhile, the death toll from the August 26 flash floods in Nepal has risen to 1,127, according to the Nepal Police.

As per the Nepal Police, a total of 45 bodies have been recovered from Rasuwa, 155 from Nuwakot, 59 from Dhading, 348 from Chitwan, 66 from Gorkha, 38 from Tanahun, 217 from Nawalparasi East and 190 from Nawalparasi West.

Following the floods, Bihar has been on high alert due to concerns about downstream of floodwaters from Nepal.

Residents of Madrauni village in the Rangra block of Bhagalpur's Naugachia subdivision have also been facing severe flood conditions for the past 15 days due to the rising water levels of the Kosi River amid a wider flood situation in parts of the region following heavy rainfall and rising water levels in rivers originating in or flowing through neighbouring Nepal.

— ANI