Floods hit 23 UP districts. Bihar opens all 69 Sone barrage gates.
Where it stands
Bihar’s Disaster Management Department put the flood-affected population at about 40.21 lakh across 14 districts on 9 September 2026. The state was operating 723 community kitchens and 15 relief camps. These provide food and shelter while homes and access routes remain affected. The figures describe Bihar alone, not a combined Bihar–Uttar Pradesh total. Water levels differ across river stations: some were falling while others remained above danger. A falling reading at one gauge does not mean the wider flood emergency has ended. The older Uttar Pradesh developments remain separately dated in this article.
Background
The Central Water Commission (CWC) forecasts floods at 360 river stations in India. State governments fix a warning level and a danger level for each station. The flood season for the Ganga basin runs from 1 June to 31 October. The Sone river starts at Amarkantak in Madhya Pradesh. The Sone joins the Ganga near Patna. The Bansagar dam in Madhya Pradesh stores Sone water under a 1973 agreement. The Sone barrage at Indrapuri in Rohtas district, Bihar, sends Sone water into canals. In a flood, engineers open the barrage gates. The water then flows down to the Ganga at Patna.
How it developed
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26 to 31 August 2026How it started
A weak monsoon for India, then a Nepal flood surge into Bihar
By 31 August 2026 the monsoon was 13.8 per cent below normal for India as a whole. East and Northeast India was 25.7 per cent below normal. On 26 August 2026 a flash flood in Nepal raised the Gandak. Bihar opened all 36 gates of the Gandak barrage at Valmikinagar that night. The discharge peaked at 1.50 lakh cusecs. On 31 August 2026 the IMD said September rain would most likely be below normal for India.
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2 September 2026New fact
Uttar Pradesh reports floods in 23 districts, three dead, 16,784 moved
On 2 September 2026 the Uttar Pradesh government gave the flood figures. Floods affect 23 districts. Three people have died. The government has moved 16,784 people to safety. The government has deployed 1,499 boats, 1,067 medical teams and 1,311 flood shelters. In Ballia, the Ganga and the Saryu have affected about 20,500 people. The Sharda at Palia was 35 cm above the danger level. More than two lakh cusecs was released from Banbasa into the Sharda. NDRF and PAC teams are deployed.
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2 September 2026, 3 pmNew fact
Bihar bulletin puts the Ganga above danger at Patna, forecast to pass the 2016 record
The Bihar Water Resources Department issued its flood bulletin at 3 pm on 2 September 2026. The Ganga at Gandhi Ghat in Patna stood at 49.75 metres at 8 am. The danger level there is 48.60 metres. The bulletin forecast 50.58 metres at Gandhi Ghat on 4 September 2026. The highest flood level at Gandhi Ghat is 50.52 metres, set in 2016. The Ganga was also above the danger level at Digha Ghat, Hathidah and Kahalgaon. The Kosi at Baltara and the Gandak at Dumariaghat were above the danger level too.
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2 September 2026, 6 pmConsequence
Bihar opens all 69 gates of the Sone barrage at Indrapuri
On 2 September 2026 Bihar opened all 69 gates of the Sone barrage at Indrapuri in Rohtas district. The barrage passed 5.59 lakh cusecs at 6 pm. The water flows down the Sone to the Ganga near Patna. In Patna, the rising Ganga submerged shops and carts along JP Ganga Path. People in low-lying areas were moved to safer places. No death was reported in Bihar. Two days earlier, on 31 August 2026, Bihar and Jharkhand had signed an MoU on sharing Sone water.
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3 September 2026New fact
Ganga crosses the warning level at Varanasi. IMD warns of more rain.
At 6 am on 3 September 2026 the Ganga at Varanasi stood at 70.54 metres. The warning level at the Rajghat gauge is 70.262 metres. The river was rising 2 cm an hour. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) recorded very heavy rain over West Uttar Pradesh and East Madhya Pradesh. The rain fell in the 24 hours to 8.30 am on 3 September 2026. Lalitpur recorded 17 cm. The IMD warned of heavy rain over Bihar from 3 to 6 September 2026. The IMD flagged flash-flood risk in eight East Uttar Pradesh districts, including Prayagraj and Varanasi.
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3 September 2026Official response
Chief Minister hands relief to 1,000 flood-hit families in Farrukhabad
On 3 September 2026 Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath visited Farrukhabad. The Chief Minister gave relief material to 1,000 flood-hit families. The Chief Minister ordered urgent dredging of the Ganga in the district to cut future floods.
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5 September 2026, 10 amNew fact
Ganga crosses the 2016 record level at Gandhi Ghat in Patna
Bihar's Water Resources Department said the Ganga at Gandhi Ghat, Patna, reached 50.53 metres at 10 am. The reading came on 5 September 2026. The level was 1 cm above the highest flood level of 50.52 metres. The old record was set on 21 August 2016. The department forecast 50.62 metres by 8 am on 6 September 2026. The Gandak, Kosi, Burhi Gandak, Punpun and Ghaghara were also above danger level.
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5 September 2026Consequence
Floods affect 10.26 lakh people in 11 Bihar districts
Bihar's Disaster Management Department said floods had affected about 10.26 lakh people by 5 September 2026. The floods cover 50 blocks and 201 gram panchayats in 11 districts. The districts are Patna, Bhojpur, Saran, Vaishali, Bhagalpur, Begusarai, Buxar, Samastipur, Munger, Katihar and Araria. The department runs 858 boats, 38 community kitchens and 27 State Disaster Response Force teams. Relief teams have handed out 12,300 polythene sheets and 2,250 dry-ration packets. Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary told ministers and officials to visit the flood-hit areas.
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4 to 5 September 2026New fact
Uttar Pradesh counts 26 flood-hit districts. IMD records heavy rain.
Uttar Pradesh issued a flood statement on 4 September 2026. The statement listed 26 flood-hit districts with about 3.53 lakh people affected. Officials had moved 17,544 people to safer places, with 4,847 in relief shelters. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) recorded heavy rain over both states on 5 September 2026. Rain of 7 to 11 cm fell in 24 hours. The IMD expects more isolated heavy rain over East Uttar Pradesh and Bihar until 8 September.
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7 September 2026, 5:20 am IST: reportConsequence
Bihar reports over 22 lakh affected; downstream embankments under watch
The Indian Express reported on 7 September 2026 that floods affected over 22 lakh people across 12 Bihar districts. Citing the state Disaster Management Department, the report counted 190 community kitchens, 1,429 boats and 171 medical camps. Officials increased vigilance along downstream Ganga embankments, where rising water can arrive after a fall upstream.
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7 September 2026; PTI report 2:50 pm ISTNew fact
Bihar’s reported flood impact expands to about 27 lakh people
Reports on 7 September 2026 put Bihar’s flood-affected population at about 27 lakh across 13 districts. The earlier reported count was over 22 lakh in 12 districts. At 6:00 am on 7 September, the Ganga at Gandhi Ghat stood at 50.41 metres, 1.57 metres above danger. The state reported 190 community kitchens and 1,429 boats. These are Bihar figures, not a combined total for Bihar and Uttar Pradesh.
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9 September 2026: Bihar impact and relief updateNew fact
Bihar expands relief as the affected population passes 40 lakh
On 9 September 2026, Bihar’s disaster department reported about 40.21 lakh people affected across 14 districts. The earlier count was about 27 lakh across 13 districts. The state was operating 723 community kitchens and 15 relief camps, with 13,446 evacuees in the camps. Boats supported evacuation and transport where normal access was disrupted. The day’s water-resources bulletin showed different trends across stations, including above-danger readings at Dumariaghat and Baltara. Relief needs can persist even where a river begins to fall. These population and relief figures refer to Bihar alone.
Why it matters for UPSC
For GS3, distinguish rescue, relief and flood forecasting. For GS1, follow how tributaries and upstream flows affect the Ganga downstream. River readings apply to a named gauge and time; a fall at one point does not establish safety throughout a basin.
Key terms
Sources (26)
- Akashvani News · official · Bihar on high alert following flash flood in Nepal (27 August 2026)3 Sep, 3:30 pm
- Business Standard · India sees warmest August since 1901 as monsoon rainfall deficit hits 13.8% (PTI copy, 1 September 2026)3 Sep, 3:30 pm
- India Meteorological Department · official · Monthly Outlook for Rainfall and Temperature during September 2026 (press release, 31 August 2026)3 Sep, 3:30 pm
- National Disaster Response Force · official · About Us (NDRF: raised 2006, 16 battalions)3 Sep, 3:30 pm
- Business Standard · UP flood situation: 3 killed, over 16K evacuated from 23 affected districts (PTI copy, 3 September 2026)3 Sep, 3:30 pm
- The Federal · 23 UP districts in grip of floods; 3 dead, 16,784 evacuated (PTI copy, 3 September 2026)3 Sep, 3:30 pm
- Flood Management Improvement Support Centre, Water Resources Department, Bihar · official · Daily Water Level and Flood Forecast Data, 2 September 2026, 3 pm (rolling daily file)3 Sep, 3:30 pm
- Business Standard · Bihar on alert as major rivers swell, all 69 gates of Sone Barrage opened (PTI copy, 2 September 2026)3 Sep, 3:30 pm
- National Herald · Bihar flood situation worsens as eight major rivers flow above danger mark (IANS copy, 3 September 2026)3 Sep, 3:30 pm
- Press Information Bureau · official · MoU signed between Bihar and Jharkhand on the sharing of Sone River water (31 August 2026)3 Sep, 3:30 pm
- Bansagar Control Board · official · About Us: the Sone river and the 16 September 1973 agreement between Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and Bihar3 Sep, 3:30 pm
- India Meteorological Department · official · Press release, 3 September 2026, 1330 hours IST: well marked low-pressure area over northeast Madhya Pradesh, heavy rainfall warnings and flash flood guidance3 Sep, 3:30 pm
- ANI · UP: Ganga water level crosses warning mark in Varanasi, rises at 2 cm per hr (3 September 2026)3 Sep, 3:30 pm
- Central Water Commission · official · Flood Preparedness by CWC: designated flood period, alert stages and 360 flood forecasting stations (2 May 2026)3 Sep, 3:30 pm
- ANI · UP: CM Yogi distributes relief material to 1,000 flood-affected families in Farrukhabad, assures permanent solution (3 September 2026)3 Sep, 3:30 pm
- Flood Management Improvement Support Centre, Water Resources Department, Bihar · official · Daily Water Level and Flood Forecast Data, 5 September 2026, 3 pm (rolling daily file; Gandhighat danger level 48.60 m, highest flood level 50.52 m of 2016)6 Sep, 2:20 am
- Business Today · Bihar flood alert: Ganga surpasses highest flood mark in Patna as 10.26 lakh people affected (5 September 2026)6 Sep, 2:20 am
- PTI · Bihar floods: Over 1 mn people affected as Ganga crosses highest flood mark (5 September 2026, PTI copy in Business Standard)6 Sep, 2:20 am
- India Meteorological Department · official · Press release, 5 September 2026, 1320 hours IST: realised heavy rainfall (7-11 cm) over Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, forecast and warnings to 11 September6 Sep, 2:20 am
- PTI · Uttar Pradesh floods: 17,500 evacuated, 26 districts hit, no deaths reported (4 September 2026, PTI copy in The Tribune)6 Sep, 2:20 am
- The Indian Express · Bihar expands relief as floods affect over 22 lakh people (7 September 2026)7 Sep, 10:06 am
- Kashmir Reader / Agencies · Ganga swells in Patna; over 22 lakh affected in Bihar (7 September 2026)7 Sep, 10:06 am
- PTI / Business Standard · Bihar floods affect 27 lakh people across 13 districts (7 September 2026)8 Sep, 2:53 am
- The Statesman · Bihar floods hit over 27 lakh; relief work continues (7 September 2026)8 Sep, 2:53 am
- Bihar Water Resources Department · official · Daily Flood Information Bulletin, 9 September 2026, reporting time 18:00 IST; station observation times specified within
- PTI / Business Standard · Bihar Disaster Management Department figures: 40.21 lakh affected across 14 districts, 9 September 2026