PATNA/BETTIAH, Sept. 29 -- The turbulent Gandak river breached a portion of Champaran embankment over the river in Bihar's West Champaran district on Monday late evening, intensifying the water inundation in the district. According to officials, following a heavy pressure and high water current in the river, a portion of embankment measuring around 10 meter collapsed at Khairatwa near Chakhani in Bagaha 1 block of West Champaran around 9pm on Monday. "We were regularly patrolling the bundh and there was no pressure at all. But suddenly we came to know that the embankment has collapsed," said Nemi Sharan, executive engineer, water resource department, flood control division. The swirling waters of Gandak have virtually inundated low-lying areas and diara tracts within its embankments. Natives of villages situated inside and near the embankments have shifted to safer places, officials said. Chief minister Samrat Choudhary, along with deputy chief minister Vijay Choudhary and Purvi Champaran MP Radha Mohan Singh, visited Dumariaghat in East Champaran to take stock of the flood situation and issued instructions to officials. Speaking to media persons during the visit, deputy CM Vijay Choudhary said the visit was aimed at reviewing the situation arising out of rise in water level in the Gandak river. "We have witnessed a maximum discharge of 5.43 lakh cusec from the Valmikinagar barrage, which has further decreased to 4.25 lakh cusec. We expect the water level to rise by about 10 inches, after which the situation will normalise. Things are under control, and the district administration is on alert," Choudhary said. Officials of the water resources department (WRD), who are monitoring the rising rivers, said the swollen Gandak river now threatens to overtop its embankments at several places in East Champaran and Gopalganj. Crocodiles in the river have added to the fear among those resting near its banks. The Gandak has long been a favourite resort for these reptiles, but the gushing waters have driven them into residential areas, heightening panic in the affected According to WRD reports, the Gandak river witnessed the season-highest discharge of 5.43 lakh cusecs from Valmikinagar barrage on Monday morning after Devghat upstream sent down 6.74 lakh cusecs a day earlier. By evening the flow had eased to 4.12 lakh cusecs and was falling, yet the peak continued to press downstream, inundating low-lying areas and diara tracts inside the embankments across East Champaran, Gopalganj and especially West Champaran. The WRD officials warned of possible overtopping at several points in East Champaran and Gopalganj. At several places, crocodiles were driven by the gushing waters into residential stretches, adding a layer of fear for those sheltering near the banks. In West Champaran the impact was sharpest. District magistrate Taranjot Singh put the number of affected people at 11,190 in panchayats along the Gandak. Around 1,600 families from ten tolas-including Rahuwa Tola, Bengali Colony in Bherihari, Chakdahwa, Bin Toli, Jhandu Tola and Khalaws Tola-between Bherihari and Valmikinagar in Bagaha-2 block, and roughly 1,500 residents from localities around Bagaha town such as Mangalpur, Malkauli, Kailashnagar, Godiyapatti and Mirza Tola faced inundation. Pressure also persisted in Piprasi, Madhubani, Bairiya and Nautan blocks. Continuous discharge kept villages underwater and flooded stretches of NH-727 between Valmikinagar and Bagaha, halting traffic. Many took shelter for a second day on the Dhanaha-Ratwal road, embankments and higher ground; residents of Sisai and Chiurahi in the Madhubani diara pitched makeshift tents on the road linking West Champaran with Uttar Pradesh. Floodwater entered the Valmiki Tiger Reserve, raising concerns about wildlife moving towards human settlements. The premises of Valmikinagar airport-an airstrip that remains largely inoperative for regular commercial flights and is used mainly for VIP movements, helicopters and emergency operations-were partly submerged, further illustrating the reach of the inundation. Residents described hurried evacuations. "We had to race against time and take the family members and livestock to safer locations. Therefore, we could not carry either raw food material or any eatables," said Badshah Gaddi of Nainaha village. Many survived initially on chura and gud supplied by the administration until community kitchens began operating. Birgun Gaddi recalled water entering homes at night, allowing them to save only a few belongings. The administration responded with community kitchens at 14 places and a relief camp; officials were deployed across all nine blocks. In the diara belt under Madhubani, villagers waited on the Dhanaha-Ratwal road for waters to recede. Elsewhere, the Kosi discharged around 1.82 lakh cusecs from Birpur barrage and remained largely steady (season maximum so far 3.13 lakh cusecs). The Sone began rising again after earlier moderation, prompting an alert near the river; its season peak remains 5.63 lakh cusecs recorded earlier in September from Indrapuri barrage. The Bagmati continued above danger levels at multiple sites. It was slightly above the red mark at Dheng, about 0.55 m above at Sonakhan, 0.43 m at Dubhadhar, 0.44 m at Kansar/Chandauli and 1.80 m at Kataunjha, with steady or rising trends at some points. Embankments were under pressure in Sitamarhi, Sheohar and Muzaffarpur; in Sheohar the river flowed 52 cm above danger. The Lalbakeya stood 0.80 m above danger at Gowabari....