Ranchi, Aug 11
The rising waters of the Ganga have triggered a flood crisis in Jharkhand's Sahibganj, submerging large parts of the district headquarters and forcing authorities to shut all schools on Monday and Tuesday.
At 6 a.m. on Monday, the river's water level was recorded at 28.62 metres -- 1.37 metres above the danger mark of 27.25 metres -- and is steadily approaching the High Flood Level.
Around the riverfront, entire localities have been inundated, with flood waters entering 11 of the 28 municipal wards.
Officials estimate that nearly 1,500 houses have been flooded, with Ward No 13 (Habibpur) and Ward No. 22 (Chanan village) worst affected. Several other wards, including 2, 3, 4, 7, 11, 17, 18, 23, and 24, are also under water.
Deputy Commissioner Hemant Sati has urged residents of the Diara area to move to safer places, where food, water, and medical aid are available.
Authorities have issued helpline numbers -- 9006963963, 9631155933, and 9065370630 -- for assistance.
Residents have been warned to stay away from river banks, avoid flood zones, and keep essentials on higher ground. Relief work is underway, with cattle fodder being distributed to prevent shortages in rural pockets.
In Bharatiya Colony, floodwater has reached waist height, prompting many residents to take refuge in AMK Badi Dharamshala. Education has been disrupted across several schools now underwater.
In another incident on Monday, a massive landslide occurred at Babhanbai Hill, about 3 km from Hazaribagh town. A large section of the hill collapsed amid heavy rain, sending hundreds of tonnes of soil and rock tumbling down. Fortunately, no casualties were reported.
The hill is located just 500 metres from the densely populated Babhanbai village. Area residents, unaccustomed to such events in this plateau region, compared the sight to landslides in the Himalayan states.
Experts say years of stone mining -- previously permitted by the government -- along with incessant rainfall, may have loosened the hill's soil, triggering the collapse.
The administration has cordoned off the area as a precaution and placed the disaster management team on alert.
Geologists have called the incident a warning, urging long-term measures for hill conservation to prevent future risks.
— IANS
Reader Comments
The landslide is really scary! We need stricter regulations on mining activities. Nature is giving us warnings but are we listening? Kudos to the disaster management team for quick response though.
My cousin lives in Sahibganj and they've lost everything. The administration should provide immediate compensation. Also, why aren't we hearing more about this in national media? Only Delhi/Mumbai floods get coverage.
As someone working in climate research, this is exactly what we've been warning about. Extreme weather events will become more frequent. India needs better disaster preparedness at grassroots level.
The government should declare this as a national disaster and allocate funds immediately. Also, where are all the environmentalists when illegal mining happens? Only protest when it's big corporates involved.
Instead of temporary relief, we need long-term solutions. River dredging, afforestation in hills, proper urban planning. Year after year same story - relief camps, compensation, then forget till next monsoon 😞
The resilience of Indian communities during disasters always amazes me. But authorities must do more - early warning systems, better infrastructure, and climate adaptation strategies are crucial.
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