Kosi barrage breach; Red alert in Bihar

Patna, Aug 19: A red alert has been sounded in Supaul, Madhepura and Araria districts of Bihar following a breach in the Kosi barrage in Nepal. A 12 km stream of the Kosi barrage has developed breach at two places. The barrage is maintained by the Bihar Government's Water Resources Development Department in Biratnagar. Cooperation has been sought from Nepal.

Chief Minister Nitish Kumar spoke to External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee and requested him to talk to the Nepal Government. Mukherjee assured him of Central Government assistance, sources said. Bihar's Irrigation Minister Bijendra Prasad Yadav said that the State Government is geared up to fight the possible floods.

Pratyaya Amrit, Secretary, Disaster Management Department said the department is fully prepared to carry out the relief work.

The Kosi barrage has a capacity to store 9.5 lakh cusecs of water and has 56 sluice gates.

ANI