PATNA, Sept. 28 -- A sharp surge in the Gandak river, driven by heavy rainfall over its catchment in Nepal, has raised the spectre of flooding along its course through north Bihar. The water resources department (WRD) has placed districts along the river on high alert after discharge at the Valmikinagar Barrage climbed rapidly through Sunday, reaching its highest level of the 2026 monsoon season. According to a senior officer of the WRD, downstream discharge at Valmikinagar has crossed 5 lakh cusec in the evening and it is likely to reach 5.50 lakh cusec, if there is any fresh rains in its catchment areas of Nepal. "The trend remained firmly rising," said the officer, noting that this is the peak for the current flood season. Deputy chief minister cum WRD minister Vijay Kumar Choudhary told HT on Sunday that discharge had already touched 4,24,000 cusecs by 11 am and it was around five lakh cusecs by the evening. The barrage, designed for a maximum discharge of about 8.5 lakh cusecs, has all its gates open. .P3...