An unexpected flood, triggered by a rise in water levels in the Genhua River, has devastated hundreds of acres of standing Rabi crops, including wheat, maize, lentils, and vegetables, in the Kiratpur block of Bihar’s Darbhanga district.
The floods, which struck on January 15, followed a significant rise in the water levels of the Genhua River on January 14.
According to district officials who didn’t wish to be named, the river, which flows between the western embankment of the Kosi River and the eastern embankment of the Kamla River, was affected by an inadvertent mistake involving the opening of a small floodgate on National Highway 56 in the neighbouring Madhubani district.
This led to a sudden surge in water levels, submerging low-lying agricultural land in dozens of villages in Kiratpur.
Sashi Bhusan Jha, the agriculture officer for Kiratpur block, confirmed to Down To Earth (DTE) that a team of officials would soon assess the damage to the crops and submit a report to senior district authorities for further action.
The floods came as a shock to farmers, who were already grappling with the intense cold spell affecting rural areas. The sudden inundation of fields has left many farmers devastated.
“My two-acre maize crop has been destroyed by these unexpected floods. I had borrowed money from a local lender for this crop, and now my dreams have been shattered,” said Hardeo Yadav, a marginal farmer.
Another farmer, Manohar Sharma, echoed similar sentiments, lamenting the untimely floods. "It's a huge loss for us. We were hopeful of a good Rabi harvest after the devastating floods in September 2024,” he said.
The region was severely impacted in the last week of September 2024 due to the breach of a river embankment, which displaced thousands and caused widespread crop damage.
Both Yadav and Sharma shared their distress over the timing of the flood, emphasising the financial strain caused by the losses.
“We were hopeful for a bumper harvest this year, but these unexpected floods in mid-January have dashed our hopes. We are the real victims of these late and untimely floods,” they said.
This new flooding incident follows the significant damage caused by the September 2024 floods when the Kosi River breached its western embankment near Bhubhol village in Kartarpur block.
That disaster, which occurred late on September 29, displaced hundreds of families, destroyed infrastructure, and ruined standing paddy crops.
State Agriculture Minister Mangal Pandey had admitted that the floods severely damaged up to 150,000 hectares of crops, including paddy, maize, banana and vegetables.
As the district recovers from both the initial shock of the winter floods and the long-term damage from previous flooding, farmers continue to face challenges in rebuilding their livelihoods.