Seventy-six schools in rural Patna have been closed for three days as the Ganga river crossed the danger mark on Wednesday. The decision was taken for the safety of students and staff, according to a notification from District Magistrate Chandrashekhar Singh.
The affected schools, located in eight blocks of Patna district, will remain closed until September 21, 2024. These closures include schools in areas such as Momindpur, Akilpur, Ganghara, and several others across Fatuha, Danapur, Bakhtiyarpur and Barh blocks.
In Patna, the Ganga river was flowing 69 cm above the danger mark (50.45 m) at Digha, 1.27 meters above the danger mark (48.6 m) at Gandhi Ghat, and 1.04 meters above the danger level (41.76 m) at Hathidah near Mokama.
This precautionary measure follows a recent incident where a teacher was swept away by strong currents after falling into the Ganga near Patna last month.
The Ganga was reported to be flowing above the danger mark at Gandhi Ghat, Hathidah, and Digha Ghat, further prompting the closure of schools in vulnerable areas. The district administration is closely monitoring the situation.
Patna District Magistrate Chandrashekhar Singh stated in a communique that the rising water levels of the Sakri river, a tributary of the Ganga, had damaged the Baruane Zamindari bund in Pandarak block. Officials and engineers from the Barh subdivision have been instructed to repair the breach urgently, as floodwaters have entered villages, causing damage to crops.