New Delhi: Hundreds of boats have been deployed in districts along the Indo-Nepal border, 11 evacuation teams are on the ground in Uttar Pradesh and nine NDRF teams are working in Bihar as Indian government departments prepare for a possible emergency after flash floods struck Nepal on Wednesday morning, sources said.
In addition, police chowkis have been set up in low-lying areas of villages to ensure safety and monitoring, sources told ThePrint.
Bihar Minister of Disaster Management Ratnesh Sada told ThePrint that the government had made all preparations. “We are prepared for all flood-like situations. The chief minister has conducted an aerial survey of Bhagalpur, Begusarai, Chapra, Munger and surrounding areas,” he said.
Further, Sada said that water had reached around 1.5 metres in villages along the border, and people have been removed from low-lying areas.
At least 162 people are confirmed dead so far, with the toll expected to rise further after floodwaters destroyed homes, vehicles, bridges and other infrastructure.
On Wednesday, India dispatched 10 tonnes of humanitarian assistance and essential medicines aboard an Indian Air Force (IAF) C-130J aircraft, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar said Wednesday. Supplies include emergency items such as temporary shelters, blankets, hygiene kits, solar lamps, and medicines.
A second flight took off Thursday, carrying 37.5 tonnes of HADR material, medicines and food packets for Nepal. “India remains in close and continuous touch with the Nepalese authorities. We will continue to strongly support the ongoing relief efforts,” Jaishankar posted on X.
Nepal Prime Minister Balendra Shah also expressed deep appreciation for Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s phone call expressing solidarity, and India’s support as the Himalayan country grapples with the devastation.
Outburst of glacial lake in Tibet
Government sources in Bihar said that at 9:00 a.m on Wednesday, a glacial lake in Tibet burst, causing the Bhote-Koshi River – which originates in Tibet and flows into the Trishuli River in Nepal – to surge by approximately 3 metres.
As a result, an unexpected increase in the flow and water level of the Gandak River downstream is now possible.
River Water Level
Latest Update #गंडकनदी #बाढ़सुरक्षा #जलस्तर #जलसंसाधनविभाग #बाढ़नियंत्रण #FloodManagement #BiharFlood @IPRDBihar pic.twitter.com/CGNkw08YZ5
— Water Resources Department, Government of Bihar (@WRD_Bihar) August 27, 2026
At 12:00 noon Wednesday, 86,000 cusecs of water was released from the Gandak Barrage in Valmikinagar, and the flow trend was increasing. Currently, the water level of the Narayani River at the Devghat gauge in Nepal is 4.77 metres.
The danger mark at this site is 9 metres, and the warning level is 7.30 meters. If the water level rises, it is expected to take approximately four hours for the water to reach the Gandak Barrage.
Bihar’s Water Resources Department responded promptly and opened all 36 gates of the Gandak Barrage in Valmikinagar, sources said.
A technical team, led by the Superintending Engineer, was dispatched from headquarters to the Gandak Barrage. A warning message was also issued to all districts located in the Gandak River basin.
Departmental officials have been directed to maintain constant vigilance and monitoring, ensuring all necessary preparations for a possible emergency. Adequate arrangements have been made for the storage of materials and the continuous inspection of embankments to deal with floods.
The Bihar chief secretary called an emergency meeting with all concerned district officials and directed them to make all necessary preparations, including informing residents living within the embankment through microphones and ensuring timely evacuation to safe locations.
National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF) teams are being deployed in areas that may be affected.
A senior Bihar Police officer deployed in border areas said that dry rations and relief materials are being arranged for people in case of flooding. Boats are also being arranged.
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has directed the local administration in Maharajganj and Kushinagar to ensure all necessary preparedness measures. Due to the flooding in Nepal, water levels in the Gandak and Narayani rivers in Maharajganj and Kushinagar may rise.
A control room in UP is also monitoring the situation. A police officer from Maharajganj told ThePrint that small police chowkis have been set up around villages to ensure the safety of all people. Residents are also being provided with medical healthcare facilities.
Meanwhile, an SDRF officer from UP told ThePrint that two teams have been sent to Kushinagar. Further, PAC and NDRF teams are also keeping an eye on Maharajganj, Balrampur, Gonda and Shravasti to ensure the safety of residents.
“Manpower and equipment have been restored, and monitoring is being done closely,” the officer said.
NDRF teams along the border
The NDRF said in a statement that, according to an advisory of the Central Water Commission (CWC), a sudden rise in the water level of the Trishuli river at Furke Khola in Nepal, around 160 km from the Indian border, has been reported. This was caused by suspected glacial lake outburst flood (GLOF) activity near the Nepal-China border,
The flood wave is likely to travel downstream in the Gandak river.
Local authorities in Bihar and Uttar Pradesh near the Indo-Nepal border along the Gandak river have been advised to remain alert and monitor the situation closely, the statement said.
The statement said that after taking stock of the situation around the Gandak river, two NDRF teams have been dispatched for deployment in West Champaran and Muzaffarpur.
Nine NDRF teams have been deployed in Bihar, and additional teams will be deployed as needed.
The UP government is also watching the situation closely. One additional NDRF team has been deployed in Kushinagar district, which is likely to be impacted due to its close vicinity to the Gandak river. Overall, 11 teams are deployed in UP for Flood Warning and Response (FWR) operations.
Security forces in Nepal and China are on alert. Nepal Police took to X to say, “Due to a large flood entering the Bhote Koshi River in Rasuwa from the Tibetan side, districts along the Trishuli River basin, including Nuwakot, Dhading, Chitwan, Gorkha, and surrounding areas, are urged to remain highly vigilant and stay in safe locations until further notice.”
भोटेकोसी नदी रसुवामा तिब्बत तर्फबाट ठुलो बाढी प्रवेश गरेकोले अर्को सूचना नआउँदासम्म त्रीशुली नदीको तटिय क्षेत्रका जिल्लाहरु नुवाकोट, धादिङ, चितवन, गोरखा लगायतका स्थानहरूमा उच्च सतर्कता सहित सुरक्षित स्थानमा रहन अनुरोध छ। pic.twitter.com/Zun6icZZCM
— Nepal Police (@NepalPoliceHQ) August 26, 2026
Nepal’s Foreign Minister Shisir Khanal told Parliament that preliminary information suggested that the flooding in the Rasuwa district might have been caused by an avalanche triggered by an earthquake in the Tibetan region.
(Edited by Sugita Katyal)
Why is there a disaster management minister ? Seriously there are so many useless ministerial berths that it only creates more problems.