Flood Alert Issued in 17 States After Heavy Rainfall; CWC Flags Risk at 21 Locations

Following widespread heavy to extremely heavy rainfall across various parts of India, the Central Water Commission (CWC) has issued a significant update. Water levels in several major rivers have risen sharply, prompting alerts in 17 states. The CWC has specifically cautioned five states due to rapidly rising river levels, and reported that reservoirs in 13 states have either reached or crossed their capacity limits.

The bulletin highlights that 21 locations across the country face potential flood threats, with four of them under the severe flood category.

Critical Flood Situation in Five States

Among the worst-affected areas is Assam, where the Dhansiri River in Golaghat has breached danger levels. Similarly, Bihar’s Bagmati and Gandak rivers have also crossed critical marks. A total of 17 rivers in Assam, Bihar, Odisha, Uttar Pradesh, and West Bengal are currently flowing above normal levels, raising concerns about further flooding if rainfall continues.

The CWC clarified that although no river has yet crossed its historical highest flood level, four locations in Assam and Bihar have exceeded danger levels.

Special Alert for Assam and Bihar

In Assam, rivers like Barak (Cachar), Kushiyara (Karimganj), and Katakhal (Hailakandi) are rising rapidly. Bihar’s Bagmati River (Runisaidpur) and Kosi River (Basuwa) are also seeing a sharp increase. While these rivers are still below critical levels, any additional rainfall may lead to flooding.

Reservoirs Overflowing in 13 States

The Ganga River in Uttar Pradesh is rising at multiple monitoring points such as Fatehgarh, Garhmukteshwar, and Kachla Bridge, with water levels surpassing warning marks. The CWC bulletin also mentions that 25 reservoirs across 13 states are either full or flowing above permissible limits.

Key affected reservoirs include:

• Srisailam (Andhra Pradesh)
• Almatti (Karnataka)
• Hirakud (Odisha)
• Indira Sagar and Bargi Dams (Madhya Pradesh)