PATNA, Aug. 28 -- The fear of floods in areas along the river Gandak has largely subsided. Discharge from the Valmikinagar barrage has returned to near-normal levels after a sharp surge triggered by flash floods upstream in Nepal and Tibet. Authorities in the districts traversed by the river and the water resources department (WRD) continues close monitoring of levels both upstream and downstream of the barrage as a precaution, officials said on Thursday. Chief minister Samrat Choudhary on Thursday conducted an aerial survey from Sonepur to Valmikinagar and inspected the barrage and adjoining areas on both the Bihar and Nepal sides. He reviewed the upstream and downstream flow, the control room and administrative preparedness in Bagaha, Valmikinagar, Bettiah and Motihari. At the time of his inspection the discharge stood at around 106,000 cusecs at around 11 am. Speaking to reporters at the site, the CM said that the sudden disaster in Nepal was a matter of concern that required everyone to remain vigilant. "The Prime Minister and the Union home minister are continuously monitoring the situation in Bihar as well as in Uttar Pradesh," he noted. He observed that the flow had stabilised at roughly 100,000 cusecs and that the situation from the barrage right down to Patna was becoming uniform, with no immediate danger. The government, he stressed, remains fully geared up to meet any exigency; the safety of citizens and the provision of every possible assistance in flood-affected areas is its highest priority. Official figures confirm the surge has passed its peak. Discharge at Valmikinagar rose sharply on Wednesday evening, hitting around 150,000 cusecs (precisely recorded at 1,50,200 cusecs near midnight). It then fell steadily through the early hours of Thursday, dropping below 100,000 cusecs and reaching the low-80,000s before stabilising. By early afternoon the flow was almost static at approximately 106,000 cusecs - described by an executive engineer of the WRD monitoring the site as below normal for the peak of the rainy season. At 4 pm, the discharge was 1,04,400 cusecs from the Gandak barrage, which is showing signs of water subsiding. Real-time data later in the day continued to show the discharge in the same range. Embankments held firm with no reported damage; excess water passed through safely. More than 4,000 people had been evacuated from low-lying pockets in West Champaran as a precaution when the surge peaked. Debris, including cattle carcasses and household items, was observed floating downstream. Community kitchens were run at several locations and residents in vulnerable diara areas were moved to higher ground or shelters. By Thursday many were beginning to return as levels eased, officials said. In Gopalganj, which lies further along the Gandak's course, the district administration remained on high alert. Officials identified 162 shelters across six blocks, prepared community kitchens, cancelled leave for key field staff, and conducted intensive miking and inspections of sensitive stretches. An NDRF team was positioned in the district, with continuous monitoring of embankments and low-lying panchayats. Similar readiness measures, including NDRF and SDRF deployment, were in place across other districts in the basin. Leader of the opposition Tejashwi Prasad Yadav described the Nepal events as a "truly horrific and painful incident" and urged the Bihar government to step up monitoring, warning of possible impact on rivers and water bodies in the state while calling on people to stay vigilant. WRD secretary Chandra Shekhar Singh and other officials emphasised that the critical hours had passed away peacefully. Marginal rises of 1-2 cm remain possible at the Ganga confluence near Patna, but overall the situation is under control. Continuous night patrols, stockpiling of relief material and readiness of boats and shelters form part of the state's ongoing defensive posture. Vigilance along the entire Gandak stretch and its meeting point with the Ganga will be maintained....