2008 Bihar flood

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2008 Bihar floods
Flooded Bihar.JPG
Flooded farmlands in northern Bihar during the 2008 flood
Date18 August 2008
Locationnorthern Bihar, India, and Nepal
Deaths434 [1] (Dead bodies were found until 27 November 2008)

The 2008 Bihar flood was one of the most disastrous floods in the history of Bihar, an impoverished and densely populated state in India. The Koshi embankment near the Indo-Nepal border (at Kusaha VDC, Sunsari district, Nepal) broke on 18 August 2008. The river changed course and flooded areas which had not been flooded in many decades. [2] The flood affected over 2.3 million people in the northern part of Bihar. [3]

Contents

Incident

On 18 August 2008, heavy monsoon rains and poor maintenance caused a breach in the Kosi embankment. Water passed through the breach at an estimated 3675 cubic meters per second (129,800 cusecs), flooding many villages in Nepal [4] and hundreds of villages in northern Bihar. The flood submerged most of the Kosi alluvial fan area, which is very fertile, with a dense agrarian population.

Background

The Kosi River's upper basin in southern Tibet and eastern Nepal drains some 60,000 km2 of mountainous terrain, [5] a region that tectonic forces are elevating by about 1 cm a year. [6] If erosion keeps pace with geologic uplift, an estimated 600 million cubic meters of sediment would be carried downstream in an average year. However, empirical measurements of the river's sediment load have yielded estimates of 100 million cubic meters annually, [7] indicating that the area is rising.

River gradient ranges from more than 10 meters/km for major upper tributaries in the mountains to as little as 6 cm/km as the lower Kosi nears the Ganges. [8] As the gradient decreases on the plains, current slows and turbulence that holds sediments in suspension diminishes. Sediments settle out and are deposited on the riverbed. This process eventually raises a channel above the surrounding terrain. The river breaks out, seeking lower terrain, which it again proceeds to elevate by deposition. This creates a cone-shaped alluvial fan. The Kosi alluvial fan is one of the largest in the world, covering some 15,000 km2 and extending 180 km from the outermost foothills of the Himalayas to the Ganges river valley. [9]

Flood waters naturally spread out over the surface of this cone. Flows over 25,000 m³/s have been measured where the Kosi exits the Himalayan foothills, enough to create a flow of water 30 km wide. [10] At this rate, in one week enough water would accumulate to cover the entire megafan to a depth of 1.5 meters.

Preventative flood control measures include upstream reservoirs that can also serve irrigation needs and produce hydroelectric power. However, in Nepal these are mostly in the planning stages. [11] The flood control measures mainly consist of downstream embankments meant to confine the river to a fixed channel. In theory, the faster flow along this channel would carry high flows away and keep sediments in suspension.

Silt deposition near Kosi embankment at Navbhata, Saharsa, Bihar, India Silt deposition at Kosi embankment at Navbhata near Saharsa.JPG
Silt deposition near Kosi embankment at Navbhata, Saharsa, Bihar, India

On 18 August 2008 one of the man-made embankments failed. The river reverted from the prescribed western channel to an old channel near the centre of its alluvial fan. The river spread out widely and flooded towns, villages, and cultivated fields on the densely populated alluvial fan. Recurrent flooding on the lower Kosi contributes largely to India's history of suffering more flood deaths than any other country except Bangladesh, and has earned the Kosi the epithet "The Sorrow of Bihar". [12]

Affected areas

India

Flooding occurred throughout the Kosi River valley in northern Bihar, in the districts of Supaul, Araria, Saharsa, Madhepura, Bhagalpur, Khagaria and Purnea. [3] [13]

The flood killed 250 people and forced nearly three million people from their homes in Bihar. More than 300,000 houses were destroyed and at least 340,000 hectares (840,000 acres) of crops were damaged. [14] Villagers in Bihar ate raw rice and flour mixed with polluted water. Hunger and disease were widespread. The Supaul district was the worst-hit; surging waters swamped 1,000 square kilometres (250,000 acres) of farmlands, destroying crops. [15]

Nepal

Flooding also affected 69 districts in Nepal. [16] Approximately 53,800 Nepalese (11,572 seholds) [17] were affected by the Koshi floods in Sunsari District, according to the Government of Nepal (GoN). Koshi Wildlife Reserve along the Koshi river was severely impacted by the floods including its wildlife and biodiversity. [18] [19]

Relief and Rehabilitation Work

An aerial view of the flood affected villages where the relief material being dropped by the IAF helicopter in Bihar A flood victim being rescued by IAF helicopter in Bihar.jpg
An aerial view of the flood affected villages where the relief material being dropped by the IAF helicopter in Bihar
An aerial view of the flood affected village with people sitting on the roofs of houses Bihar An aerial view of the flood affected village where the people are sitting on the top of their houses in Bihar.jpg
An aerial view of the flood affected village with people sitting on the roofs of houses Bihar
2008 Bihar floods 2008 Bihar floods.jpg
2008 Bihar floods

In response to the disaster, widely reported as the region's worst flood in 50 years, Nitish Kumar, Chief Minister of Bihar, met Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to seek his help in dealing with the "catastrophe". [20]

The Prime Minister declared a "natural calamity" on 28 August and earmarked US$230 million in aid for the region. [21] Rescue operations were carried out by the Indian Army, National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and non-government organisations. Indian Air Force helicopters dropped relief supplies in the worst-hit districts. Mumbai Fire Brigade sent a 22-member disaster management team to help in relief work.

Chief Minister Nitish Kumar requested a rehabilitation package of Rs 145 billion from the central government for the flood ravaged Kosi region. [22]

The Bihar government returned funds from Gujarat for relief work because of purported differences with the Gujarat Chief Minister, Narendra Modi. [23]

On 1 September, describing the floods as a "disaster," the Dalai Lama gave 1,000,000 rupees to the Bihar government for relief work. [24]

The Government of Bihar initiated Kosi Reconstruction and Rehabilitation Programme covering 30,000 affected families in Saharsa, Supaul and Madhepura district based on a pilot project implemented by ODR Collaborative, a network of organisations, supporting the Government and an owner driven reconstruction policy was formulated to support each family with Rs. 55,000 to construct their own house. After signing an agreement with the World Bank in January 2011, this programme has been upscaled to cover 100,000 families for reconstruction of hazard safe houses. The cost per house will be Rs. 55,000 ($1200) with an additional cost of Rs. 2,300 ($50) for a toilet and Rs. 5,000 ($110) for solar powered lighting. In cases where beneficiaries do not own land, the Government of Bihar will provide additional assistance of Rs. 5000 ($110) for the people to buy the land. Towards this project, the World Bank is contributing $220 million. [25] The Government of Bihar has also partnered with ODR Collaborative and UNDP to continue the social and technical facilitation and capacity building for this 'owner driven reconstruction' programme. [26] Technical guidelines have been brought out to enable owners to build houses with various local materials including bamboo.

The rehabilitation work has been incredibly slow. Out of a total 100,000 houses to be built by the Government in the Kosi region comprising Madhepura, Saharsa and Supaul districts, only 12,500 were built till February 2014. [27]

Administrative lapse

Fax messages sent by engineers at the Kosi dam warning the state government of the impending disaster went unheeded as the official authorised to respond was on leave. Consequently, many residents waiting for evacuation instructions never received warning of the flood. Nitish Mishra, Bihar's disaster management minister said that action should be taken to hold those responsible accountable. [28]

Investigation

Bihar Government appointed a one-man inquiry commission, headed by Justice Rajesh Walia, former chief justice of Patna High Court, to probe the cause of the embankment breach. It was asked to examine all aspects related to the efforts to maintain the utility of the Kosi project since its inception in 1953 – particularly after a major landslide in 1979 pushed the Kosi towards its eastern bund – and a breach in 1991. The Commission submitted its report in March 2014. [29]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alluvial fan</span> Fan-shaped deposit of sediment

An alluvial fan is an accumulation of sediments that fans outwards from a concentrated source of sediments, such as a narrow canyon emerging from an escarpment. They are characteristic of mountainous terrain in arid to semiarid climates, but are also found in more humid environments subject to intense rainfall and in areas of modern glaciation. They range in area from less than 1 square kilometer (0.4 sq mi) to almost 20,000 square kilometers (7,700 sq mi).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Saharsa</span> City and municipal corporation in Bihar, India

Saharsa is a city and municipal corporation in the Saharsa District in the eastern part of the state of Bihar, India. It is situated near the eastern banks of the Kosi River. It serves as the administrative headquarters for the Saharsa District and is also the Divisional headquarters of the Kosi Division.

Supaul is a town and a municipality that is headquarters of Supaul district in the Indian state of Bihar. Supaul is the administrative headquarters of this district. There Are 11 block under the Supaul district Supaul, Kishanpur, Saraigarh-Bhaptiyahi, Pipra, Triveniganj, Raghopur, chhatapur, Nirmali, Marauna, Basantpur and pratapganj.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Madhepura district</span> District of Bihar in India

Madhepura district is one of the thirty-eight districts of Bihar state, India, and Madhepura town is the administrative headquarters of this district. Madhepura district is a part of Kosi division.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Supaul district</span> District of Bihar, India

Supaul district is one of the thirty-eight districts of Bihar, India. The town Supaul is the district's administrative headquarters. The district, which was split from the former Saharsa district on 14 March 1991, occupies 2,410 km2 (931 sq mi).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kosi River</span> River in Tibet, Nepal, and India

The Kosi or Koshi is a transboundary river which flows through China, Nepal and India. It drains the northern slopes of the Himalayas in Tibet and the southern slopes in Nepal. From a major confluence of tributaries north of the Chatra Gorge onwards, the Kosi River is also known as the Saptakoshi for its seven upper tributaries. These include the Tamur River originating from the Kanchenjunga area in the east and Arun River and the Sun Kosi from Tibet. The Sun Koshi's tributaries from east to west are the Dudh Koshi, Likhu Khola, Tamakoshi River, Bhote Koshi and Indravati. The Saptakoshi crosses into northern Bihar, India where it branches into distributaries before joining the Ganges near Kursela in Katihar district. The Kosi is the third-largest tributary of the Ganges by water discharge after the Ghaghara and the Yamuna.

Nirmali is a town and a notified area in Supaul district in the Indian state of Bihar.

The 2008 Indian floods were a series of floods in various states of India during the 2008 monsoon season. The floods mostly affected the western regions of Maharashtra state and Andhra Pradesh as well as northern Bihar. In India, the monsoon season generally lasts from June to September.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Koshi Barrage</span> Barrage in Bhimnagar, Nepal

The Koshi Barrage is a sluice across the Koshi river that carries vehicular, bicycle, and pedestrian traffic between Saptari district and Sunsari district of Nepal. It is near the International border with India. It was built between 1958 and 1962 and has 56 gates. It was constructed after the Koshi Agreement was signed between the Government of Nepal and India on April 25, 1954. The barrage was designed and built by Joseph and Company Limited, India. The Koshi Tappu Wildlife Reserve is roughly 3–4 miles north of the barrage.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Geography of Bihar</span>

Bihar is located in the eastern region of India, between latitudes 24°20'10"N and 27°31'15"N and longitudes 83°19'50"E and 88°17'40"E. It is an entirely land–locked state, in a subtropical region of the temperate zone. Bihar lies between the humid West Bengal in the east and the sub humid Uttar Pradesh in the west, which provides it with a transitional position in respect of climate, economy and culture. It is bounded by Nepal in the north and by Jharkhand in the south. Bihar plain is divided into two unequal halves by the river Ganges which flows through the middle from west to east. Bihar's land has average elevation above sea level of 173 feet.

The 2007 Bihar flood occurred in August 2007 in the east Indian state of Bihar. It was described by the United Nations as the worst flood in the living memory of Bihar. Although annual floods are common in Bihar, heavier than usual rainfall during the monsoon season that year led to increasing water levels. By 3 August, the estimated death toll was 41 people, and 48 schoolgirls were marooned in a school in the Darbhanga district. By 8 August, the flooding had impacted an estimated 10 million people in Bihar. Army helicopters delivered food packets to residents, and 180 relief camps were established. By 10 August, aid workers in Bihar reported a dramatic increase in people with diarrhea and by 11 August, flood-related deaths were still occurring. The total number of deaths recorded in the 2007 Bihar floods was more than 1,300, the highest death toll in the state since the 1987 Bihar floods, in which more than 2,500 deaths were reported.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Floods in Bihar</span> Flooding in the Indian state of Bihar

Bihar is India's most flood-prone state, with 76% of the population of North Bihar living under the recurring threat of devastating flooding. Bihar makes up 16.5% of India's flood-affected area and contains 22.1% of India's flood-affected population. About 73.06% of Bihar's geographical area, 68,800 square kilometres (26,600 sq mi) out of 94,160 square kilometres (36,360 sq mi), is affected. Each year, floods kill many and damage livestock and other assets worth millions. In total, floods have claimed 9,500 lives since the government started publishing figures in 1979. North Bihar districts are vulnerable to at least five major flood-causing rivers during monsoon – the Mahananda, Koshi, Bagmati, Burhi Gandak, and Gandak rivers – which originate in Nepal. Some South Bihar districts have also become vulnerable to floods, from the Son, Punpun, and Phalgu rivers. The 2013 flood affected over 5.9 million people in 3,768 villages in 20 districts in the state. The 2017 flood affected 19 districts in North Bihar, killing 514 people and affecting over 17 million.

The Koshi embankments were built in late 1950s to retain the Kosi River which is a transboundary river between Nepal and India and is one of the largest tributaries of the Ganges. It was conceptualised during the first Bihar Government of CM Shri Babu and his deputy Anugraha Babu. According to the agreement with Nepal, the responsibility of maintaining these embankments was vested in the Government of Bihar.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nitish Mishra</span> Indian politician

Nitish Mishra is an Indian politician hailing from eastern Indian state of Bihar, India. He represented Jhanjharpur assembly constituency in Madhubani district in 13th, 14th and 15th Bihar Legislative Assembly. Presently, he is member of 17th Bihar Legislative Assembly from Jhanjharpur and also former Vice President, BJP - Bihar.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">National Disaster Response Force</span> Indian specialised force

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kamala River</span> River in Nepal and Bihar

The Kamala River originates in Nepal and flows through the Indian state of Bihar.

Kunauli is a town located in the Supaul district of Bihar, India on the border of Nepal's Saptari District.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">North Bihar</span> Geographic Region in Bihar, India

North Bihar is a term used for the region of Bihar, India, which lies north of the Ganga river.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2017 Bihar flood</span> Flood in Bihar, India

2017 Bihar floods affected 19 districts of North Bihar causing death of 514 people. 2,371 panchayats under 187 blocks of 19 districts of Northern Bihar have been affected in the flood. Around 1.71 crore people were hit by the floods. Over 8.5 lakhs of people have lost their homes, with Araria district alone accounting for 2.2 lakh homeless people. 2017 Flood has broken 9-Year record of deaths In Bihar. Bihar is India's most flood-prone State, with 76% of the population in the North Bihar living under the recurring threat of flood devastation. Devastating flood was caused due to excess heavy rainfall in monsoon season.

Saptakosi High Dam, also called Koshi High Dam, is a multipurpose project proposed to be constructed on the Saptakoshi River of Nepal. The project is primarily aimed to control floods in south-eastern Nepal and northern Bihar of India, and to generate hydro power. An issue subsequently coming with this project is Nepal’s access to sea port via 165 km long navigation canal linking to Calcutta sea port through River Ganges.

References

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