Patna: the Ganges, usually peaceful

There has been an unpredictable change in the weather conditions in the recent past. On June 1st the newspapers reported that the delayed monsoon in Bihar this year would pose a serious threat to standing crops and bring about a reduction in groundwater level. And so the prayers went up to appease rain gods. Bihar waited with great expectations for early monsoon showers to bring down the soaring temperatures that went up to 46C in June. An abnormal rise in temperatures becomes a matter of concern as it sometimes brings unexpected and dangerous consequences.

Within three weeks the monsoon showers brought relief, and it continued to rain for 13 days, though sometimes intermittently. By 29th July gallons of water lashed the earth badly, the sky looked darker each day with more clouds gathering, and it rained heavily especially in the planes and the fertile states of North Bihar. The situation became alarming as large rivers and their tributaries continued to swell, inundating all the low lying areas. To bring more misery and destruction, heavy rainfall in the catchments areas of Himalayan mountainous regions flowed down in great volumes of surging water, drowned all the plant and animal life, damaged the entire crops, carried away the life savings of many, and submerged the entire villages and nearby towns. In the 1st week of July the Met reported that the monsoon this year brought the heaviest rainfall in Bihar in 30 years. By this time 17 lakh people hade been affected in Bihar alone.

Those of us who lived in the south of Patna and surrounding districts were not really experienced the fury of flood, except the poor who pitched their tents by the banks of the river Ganga. Following the destruction of all communication systems, train and road services were badly hit, and schools were closed indefinitely in North Bihar. Water-logging and overflowing drains became a common sight. Prices of all commodities soared high in urban as well in rural areas. Many lives were lost as thousands of displaced persons with all their precious belongings drowned in the fury of flood. Swift action and timely help could have eased the situation. It took some time to understand the gravity of situation before the authorities stepped up evacuation and relief work.

This year the floods displaced 41 lakh (1 lakh = 100 thousand) people in different parts of India. More than humans, they say, animals faced great tragedy. Once the water recedes the task will be enormous. People wait for help and compensation and as they turn to the shore they see that they have lost everything and start building their hopes again until the next flood!

When there is nonstop rain as this year we ask our children at the Sophia Centre for Continuing Education to remain at home. Their parents who are daily wage earners, rickshaw pullers and vegetable vendors are the most hit as they are not able to earn anything.

Patna was affected for a few days where the people have to cope with water logging and overflowing drains.

Mary Varghese rscj
Patna, Bihar
Province of India

After having sent the article on the flood to you, the next evening it started pouring heavily in Patna. The power was off for many hours, it is back now. Form Monday 12th 3.50 the sky opened, rained all through night. We were all at the school. I asked the children to keep their school bags in the staff room and told them all to go home before the water level rose everywhere. When we came home at about 6 p.m. the front of our house was almost knee deep in water. The sky looked and it still looks grey and reckoning. I got up at 2.48 am and went out to see the level of water. Lo and behold, when I looked out of the window with a torch in my hand, there was a sea of water all around the house and surrounding area. By 4 am the water had entered the ground floor of our house. The small houses of the children near the banks of the river must be all under water. The schools are closed. Wednesday, Aug. 15th is our 60th anniversary of Independence!