Patna, October 2026: Bihar Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary on Tuesday chaired a review meeting on the flood situation in the state and the damage caused by the floods in 2026. He directed senior officials to prepare and submit a detailed report on the situation and the losses at the earliest.
BJP national president and MP Nitin Nabin was also present at the meeting, held at the Sankalp meeting hall at the Lok Sevak Residence.
During the review, Water Resources Department Secretary Dr Chandrashekhar Singh briefed the Chief Minister on the flood situation that emerged in two phases and the resulting damage. Through a presentation, he said that during the first phase, new highest water levels were recorded in the Ganga, Sone, Ghaghra, Kosi and Punpun rivers compared with previous records.
During the second phase, excessive rainfall led to the highest water levels being recorded at four locations along the Gandak river. Embankment damage was reported at six locations in West Champaran, Gopalganj and Saran districts.
Disaster Management Department Principal Secretary Santosh Kumar Mall briefed the meeting on the relief and rescue operations carried out during the floods.
Relief for Flood-Affected Families
The Chief Minister said that the state witnessed a serious flood situation this year because the Ganga, Gandak and Sone rivers received significantly higher volumes of water compared with previous years.
He said accumulation of silt in riverbeds is also one of the major reasons for recurring floods. Bihar has become the first state in the country to formulate a dedicated Silt Policy, he said.
Choudhary directed officials to continuously monitor the present condition of rivers and the damage caused by floods.
He also directed that a preliminary detailed report on the flood damage be submitted at the earliest so that relief, rehabilitation and essential development works in affected areas could be accelerated.
The Chief Minister announced that ex-gratia relief would be distributed among families affected by the second phase of flooding on October 12, 2026.
He directed the Disaster Management Department to coordinate with all concerned departments to assess the damage caused by the floods and estimate the expenditure required for restoration and reconstruction. A report should be submitted without delay, he said.
The Chief Minister further directed officials to ensure that necessary arrangements are made after drainage of floodwater, keeping in mind the possibility of further complications and the needs of affected communities.
He stressed that relief and rehabilitation measures should be expedited in flood-affected areas and that restoration of essential infrastructure and development works should be undertaken on priority.
The meeting was attended by BJP National President and MP Nitin Nabin, Deputy Chief Minister-cum-Water Resources Minister Vijay Kumar Choudhary, Deputy Chief Minister Bijendra Prasad Yadav, Disaster Management Minister Ratnesh Sada, Chief Secretary Pratyaya Amrit, Disaster Management Department Principal Secretary Santosh Kumar Mall, Agriculture Department Principal Secretary Narmadeshwar Lal, Chief Minister’s Secretary Lokesh Kumar Singh, Rural Works Department Secretary Abhay Kumar Singh, Water Resources Department Secretary Dr Chandrashekhar Singh and senior officials from the Dairy, Fisheries and Animal Resources departments, among others.
