1

2023- 2024
DPR-2

Title: Urban Flood Assessment: A Case Study of Patna

Disaster, Bihar
PAPER NAME: Disaster Management Based Project Work
PAPER CODE: - 12291602

TEACHER: DR. INTIKHAB AHMAD

NAME: PRANJAL OJHA

College Roll No. 21/87002
EXAMINATION ROLL NO: 21021513073

COURSE: BA (HONS) GEOGRAPHY, SEMESTER VI

DEPARTMENT OF GEOGRAPHY
DYAL SINGH COLLEGE
University of Delhi
Lodhi Road, New Delhi - 110003
 2

CERTIFICATE

This is to certify that PRANJAL OJHA has conducted a field Research

on “Urban Flood Risk Assessment: A Case Study of Patna Disaster,
Bihar’’ as a part of the Field Work exercise of the practical paper on
Disaster Management Based ProjectWork.
The report has been prepared under the guidance and supervision of
Dr. Intikhab Ahmed.

Teachers Signature Student’s Signature

 3

PREFACE

This report is detailed study of the research conducted in Patna district in

Bihar. The basic objective of this report is to assess that, to which extent the
Patna is vulnerable to flood hazard, its existing preparedness level and
mitigation strategies. The study aims to come up with a disaster
preparedness plan for the Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR). Research is an
essential component of geographic enquiry and is pivotal for preparing a
report. It is a basic procedure to understand the earth as a home of
humankind. Disaster management is an inseparable part of the discipline
especially which deals with the study of natural phenomena. This report
focuses upon the flood disaster Preparedness plan of Patna, examining the
level of awareness among the stakeholders and making them aware about
the disaster mitigation strategies. We have used various methodologies and
tools in this report such as Questionnaire method to collect the primary data
through Google forms and Software like MS Excel for examining and
analyzing the data and representing them through diagrams. The
photographs were also clicked after direct observation of the field to gain
additional knowledge as part of our survey.
 4

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

I take this opportunity to express my profound gratitude and deep regards to my

mentor and guiding source Dr. Intikhab Ahmed for his exemplary guidance,
monitoring and constant encouragement throughout the course of this Disaster
Project report. The preparation of this report would not have been possible
without the valuable contribution of his and my colleagues in the form of
blessings, help and guidance. I also express my thanks to the Department of
Geography, Dyal Singh College and University of Delhi for providing such a
great opportunity to make a Disaster project Report on our college separately as
a part of our Practical (Disaster Management based Project Report). I
acknowledge my gratitude to various secondary sources such as various websites
which helped in the collection of scholarly articles for literature review and a
better understanding of the project topic. I would also like to thank the institution
officials and faculty members for their great cooperation with us.

(PRANJAL OJHA)
 5

TABLE OF CONTENTS

SERIAL NO. TITLE PAGE NO

1 INTRODUCTION 8-13
2 STUDY AREA 14-16
3 LITERATURE REVIEW 17-19
4 PURPOSE OF THE STUDY 20
5 OBJECTIVES 20
6 DATA BASE AND RESEARCH 21
METHODOLOGY
7 DATA ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION 22-37
8 PREPAREDNESS PLAN 38-43
9 FINDINGS 44-47
10 SUGGESTIONS 48
11 CONCLUSION 49
12 REFERENCES 50
13 ANNEXURE 51
 6

LIST OF FIGURES

SERIAL NO. TITLE PAGE NO

1. Area Liable to Floods 10
2 Percentage Of Area Affected by Flood 13
3 Respondents Who Have Witnessed Flood 22
4 When Did They Experienced Flood 22
5 Frequency Of Flood 23
6 Received Flood Related Warning 23
7. Medium Used to Receive Information 24
8 Quality Of Basic Needs Available 24
9 Major Causes Of Floods In Patna 25
10 Presence Of Proper Drainage 25
11 Functioning Of Drains 26
12 Increase In Encroachment Of Floodplain 26
13 Increasing Level Of Concretization 26
14 Impact Of Flood 27
15 People Affected By Flood 27
16 Depth Of Water During Floods 28
17 Presence Of Flood Prone Construction 29
18 Safely Evacuated Population 30
19 Presence Of Enough Shelter Homes 31
20 Discrimination Occurs During Disaster Like Flood 32
21 Certain Section Of Society More Vulnerable 33
22 Loss Of Life In Family Or Friend Circle Due To Flood 34
23 Affected People Show Signs Of Anxiety, Stress, PTSD 34
24 Proposed drainage system of Patna 35
25 Average Monthly Rainfall Of Patna 36
26 Loss Of Property Due To Flood In Bihar 37

LIST OF PLATES

SERIAL NO. TITLE PAGE NO

1 STUDY AREA 15
2 URBAN SPRAWL OF PATNA 29
3 BLOCK WISE FLOOD RISK INDEX 39
4 FLOODPLAIN ZONATION OF PATNA 45
 7

INTRODUCTION
Among all natural disasters, floods are the most frequent being experienced by
India. India is one of the worst floods affected countries in the globe and damage
caused by floods is very high compared to any other disasters. Nearly 75 to 80 %
of the total annual rainfall is concentrated over a short monsoon season of four
months (June-September) in India. As a result, the rivers witness a heavy
discharge during these months, leading to widespread floods. Cyclones are other
major water disasters in India. Coastal States mainly, West Bengal, Odisha,
Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu are affected by cyclones more frequently in the
country. Assam, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, and West Bengal
States are the most frequent flood/cyclone affected States in the country. About,
40 million hectares of land in the country is liable to floods according to the
National Flood Commission, and an average of 7.2 million hectares of land is
affected annually. the annual average cropped area affected is approximately 3.9
million hectares (National Flood Commission Report,1976) The most flood-
prone rivers in the country are the Brahmaputra and the Ganga, these rivers carry
about 60 per cent of the nation’s total river flow. The other flood prone areas are
the west flowing rivers such as the Narmada and Tapi in the north-west region;
east flowing rivers lik0e Mahanadi, Godavari, Krishna and Cauvery in the Central
India and the Deccan region.

There are several causative factors for flooding in the country. Inadequate
capacity of the rivers to contain the high flows brought down from the upper
catchment (outside of India) due to heavy rainfall, leads to flooding. Areas having
poor drainage characteristics get flooded by accumulation of water due to high
intensity of rainfall. Excess irrigation water applied to command areas and
increase in ground water level due to seepage from canals and irrigated fields
accentuate the problem of water logging, subsequently it will have an impact on
floods. Flooding is accentuated by erosion and silting of the riverbeds resulting
in reduction of carrying capacity of river channel, leading to changes in river
courses & obstructions to flow due to landslides, synchronization of floods in the
tributary rivers and retardation due to tidal effects. With the increase in population
and developmental activity, there has been a tendency to occupy the flood plains,
which has resulted in a more serious nature of damage over the years. Because of
the varying rainfall distribution, many times, areas which are not traditionally
prone to floods also experience severe inundation. Thus flood is the single most
frequent disaster faced by the country. Floods have different dimensions,
inundation due to spills over the banks, drainage congestion due to poor drainage
characteristics, erosion due to change in river course are the main causes for
flooding.

Floods can be categorized into five major types, which are:

 8

1. Riverine Floods

Riverine floods are among the most common types of flooding, and they usually
occur due to heavy rainfall or snowmelt. River floods happen when rainfall or
snowmelt causes water levels in a river to rise beyond their banks, leading to the
flooding of nearby areas. River floods are more common in areas that are prone
to heavy rainfalls, such as coastal areas, mountainous regions, and areas near
large rivers.

2. Coastal Floods

Coastal floods are another type of natural disaster that results from heavy rainfall,
high tides, and storm surges. Coastal floods occur when the sea level rises due to
strong winds and oceanic currents. Coastal floods usually happen in regions that
are close to large bodies of water, but they can also occur in areas that are far
from the sea but have shallow groundwater tables.

3. Flash Floods
Flash floods occur when a sudden and intense downpour of rainwater overwhelms
the local drainage system, leading to rapid flooding. Flash floods usually happen
in urban areas, where the drainage infrastructure is not sufficient to handle the
amount of water flowing in the streams, rivers, and other waterways. Flash floods
can be particularly dangerous because they can happen without warning, and the
speed and volume of water can be deadly.

4. Dam Break Floods

Dam break floods occur when a dam that is holding back a massive amount of
water breaks, leading to a flood downstream. Dam break floods can happen due
to natural disasters such as earthquakes, landslides, or heavy rainfalls that cause
the dam to collapse or overtop.
5. Urban Floods

Urban floods happen when rainwater is trapped in urban areas due to pavement,
concrete, and other impervious surfaces, leading to floods in low-lying areas like
streets, parking lots, and basements. Urban floods usually occur in cities, where
the lack of ecosystems such as wetlands and trees makes it difficult for water to
be absorbed into the ground.

FLOOD HAZARD VULNERABILITY IN INDIA

India is highly vulnerable to floods. More than 40 million hectares of country's

land out of 329 million hectares is prone to floods.
 10

According to the reports of National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA),

"An average every year, 75 lakh hectares of land is affected, 1600 lives are lost
and the damage caused to crops, houses and public utilities is Rs.1805 crores due
to floods. The maximum number of lives (11,316) was lost in the year 1977. The
frequency of major floods is more than once in five years." (NDMA, Report 2009)
The recent trends of floods shows that human induced climate change and rapid
urbanization has further increased the damage caused by floods.The average
flood damage from 1996 to 2005 was recorded as Rs 4547 crores while on the
other hand the average flood damage before 1996 for about 53 years was Rs 1805
crores (NDMA Report).

This clearly depicts how floods have become more disastrous in recent times.
Various factors which affects the intensity of flood includes steep increase in
population, rapid urbanization, growing developmental and economic activities
in flood plains coupled with global warming etc.
The map below depicts the major flood prone areas of India.
(Source : NDMA)

FIG 1: AREA LIABLE TO FLOODS

 11

Urban flooding is significantly different from rural flooding as urbanization

leads to developed catchments, which increases the flood peaks from 1.8 to 8
times and flood volumes by up to 6 times. Consequently, flooding occurs very
quickly due to faster flow times (in a matter of minutes). Urban areas are
densely populated and people living in vulnerable areas suffer due to flooding,
sometimes resulting in loss of life. It is not only the event of flooding but the
secondary effect of exposure to infection also has its toll in terms of human
suffering, loss of livelihood and, in extreme cases, loss of life.
Urban areas are also centers of economic activities with vital infrastructure which
needs to be protected 24x7. In most of the cities, damage to vital infrastructure
has a bearing not only for the state and the country but it could even have global
implications. Major cities in India have witnessed loss of life and property,
disruption in transport and power and incidence of epidemics.
Therefore, management of urban flooding has to be accorded top priority.
Increasing trend of urban flooding is a universal phenomenon and poses a great
challenge to urban planners the world over. Problems associated with urban
floods range from relatively localized incidents to major incidents, resulting in
cities being inundated from hours to several days. Therefore, the impact can also
be widespread, including temporary relocation of people, damage to civic
amenities, deterioration of water quality and risk of epidemics.

There has been an increasing trend of urban flood disasters in India over the past
several years whereby major cities in India have been severely affected. The most
notable amongst them are Hyderabad in 2000, Ahmedabad in 2001, Delhi in
2002 and 2003, Chennai in 2004, Mumbai in 2005, Surat in 2006, Kolkata in
2007, Jamshedpur in 2008, Delhi in 2009 and Guwahati and Delhi in2010.
A special feature in India is that we have heavy rainfall during monsoons. There
are other weather systems also that bring in a lot of rain. Storm surges can also
affect coastal cities/ towns. Sudden release or failure to release water from dams
can also have severe impacts. In addition, the urban heat island effect has resulted
in an increase in rainfall over urban areas. Global climate change is resulting in
changed weather patterns and increased episodes of high intensity rainfall events
occurring in shorter periods of time. Then the threat of sea-level rise is also
looming large, threatening all the coastal cities. Cities/towns located on the coast,
on river banks, upstream/ downstream of dams, inland cities and inhilly areas can
all be affected.
Among the important cities of India, the average annual rainfall varies from
2932 mm in Goa and 2401 mm in Mumbai on the higher side, to 669 mm in
Jaipur on the lower side. The rainfall pattern and temporal duration is almost
similar in all these cities, which receive the maximum rainfall from the south-
west monsoons. The average rainfall for the month of July in Mumbai is 868
mm and this far exceeds the annual average rainfall of 611 mm in London.
 12

Stormwater drainage systems in the past were designed for rainfall intensity of
12 – 20 mm. These capacities have been getting very easily overwhelmed
whenever rainfall of higher intensity has been experienced. Further, the systems
very often do not work to the designed capacities because of very poor
maintenance. Encroachments are also a major problem in many cities and towns.
Natural streams and watercourses have formed over thousands of years due to
the forces of flowing water in the respective watersheds. Habitations started
growing into towns and cities alongside rivers and watercourses.
As a result of this, the flow of water has increased in proportion to the
urbanization of the watersheds. Ideally, the natural drains should have been
widened (similar to road widening for increased traffic) to accommodate the
higher flows of stormwater. But on the contrary, there have been large scale
encroachments on the natural drains and the river floodplains. Consequently, the
capacity of the natural drains has decreased, resulting in flooding. Improper
disposal of solid waste, including domestic, commercial and industrial waste and
dumping of construction debris into the drains also contributes significantlyto
reducing their capacities. It is imperative to take better operations and
maintenance actions.
Urban floods have become a recurring problem in Patna, the capital city of Bihar
in eastern India. The city has been facing this problem for several years now, and
despite several attempts to solve the issue, the situation remains the same. With
every monsoon season, the city experiences waterlogging and flood-like
situations that severely impact the daily lives of the people.
The primary reason for urban floods in Patna is the lack of proper drainage
systems in the city. The existing drainage system is outdated and inadequate to
handle the increased volume of rainfall that the city receives. The drainage pipes
are old and narrow, leading to water clogging and overflows. The low-lying areas
of the city, including downtown Patna, are the most vulnerable to flooding
because they lack proper drainage systems. As a result, water accumulates in the
streets, causing a great deal of damage to property and disrupting the daily lives
of the people.

Apart from the drainage issues, another significant factor contributing to urban
floods in Patna is the encroachment of natural waterways. To facilitate
urbanization, many water bodies, including ponds, lakes, and canals, have been
filled up, blocked, or converted into buildings, leading to reduced drainage
capacity. Additionally, many illegal constructions have come up on the riverbank,
blocking the natural flow of water. The rapid pace of urbanization and the
associated infrastructure development also contribute significantly to urban
flooding in Patna. The construction of buildings and widening of the roads take
up significant portions of the ground area, thereby reducing the permeable surface
 13

area. This leads to the generation of a larger volume of surface runoff, which
overwhelms the drainage systems and causes flooding.

The annual floods that engulf the city pose severe threats to the life and property
of the city's inhabitants. The floods cause severe damage to infrastructure,
including roads, power supply, communication networks, and waste disposal
systems. Additionally, floods also disrupt the daily lives of the people, causing
immense hardship and economic loss.

The percentage share of land affected by Flood in Patna is depicted by the

piediagram below (NDMA,Report)

FIG 2: Percentage of area affected by flood

The problem of urban floods in Patna is complex and requires a comprehensive

solution that involves a multifaceted approach. improving the drainage systems,
freeing up natural waterways, proper land-use management, and adequate
infrastructure planning are some of the measures that need to be taken to mitigate
the risk of urban flooding in the city.
 14

STUDY AREA
Patna, the state capital of Bihar is taken as the study reason for this paper. Patna is
located in North Bihar, and it is often flooded during the monsoon season, causing
damage to residents and properties. During its history, the city had its own natural
drainage networks, but the rapid rate of urbanization from 1970 onwards has caused
a slew of issues, including flooding and the resulting destruction. Every monsoon,
areas along the Ganga’s banks and other low-lying pockets of Patna are flooded, as
natural channels are found to be insufficient to bear surface runoff due to the city’s
rapid growth. The undertaken study areas have the center of 25°35’31.78” N Latitude
and 85°8’11.72” E Longitude, which covers the Patna City

Climate:
Patna is located in the northern region of India, and it experiences a humid subtropical
climate. The summers are hot, with temperatures rising up to 40°C, while winters are
cool with temperatures reaching 6-7°C. The city receives moderate rainfall, with the
monsoon season lasting from June to September. The humidity levels in Patna are
high, making the climate uncomfortable during summers. The city also experiences
dust storms and thunderstorms during the monsoon season. The vegetation cover in
Patna is limited, which contributes to high levels of air pollution, especially during
the winter months.

Drainage:
The Ganges river that flows through Patna plays a significant role in the drainage
pattern of the region. The river collects water from various streams and tributaries
and carries it downstream to the Bay of Bengal. The Ganges also supports various
forms of wildlife, including fish and bird species. In addition to the Ganges, there are
several streams and rivers that flow through Patna. The Punpun River, a tributary of
the Ganges, originates in the western plateau region of Bihar and flows through the
district of Patna. The Punpun river is an essential source of water for irrigation and
industrial purposes in Patna. Another major river that flows through Patna is the Sone
River, which is also a tributary of the Ganges. The Sone River is an important source
of freshwater for the city of Patna.
 15

PLATE 1: STUDY AREA

 16

Demography:

According to the 2011 census Patna is the 15th most populous district, with
population of 5,838,465, roughly equal to the nation of Nicaragua or the US state
of Maryland. The district has a population density of 1,823 inhabitants per square
kilometer (4,720/sq mi). Its population growth rate over the decade 2001-2011 was
22.34%.
Patna has a sex ratio of 897 females for every 1,000 males, and a literacy rate of
70.68%. Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes make up 15.77% and 0.15% of
the population respectively. At the time of the 2011 Census of India, 46.35% of
the population in the district spoke Magahi, 43.77% Hindi, 5.19% Urdu, 2.67%
Bhojpuri and 1.24% Maithili as their first language.
 17

LITERATURE REVIEW
Gupta et al (2020):Geospatial analysis of September, 2019 floods in the lower
Gangetic plains of Bihar using multi-temporal satellites and river gauge data, The
present study assess the flood situation using Sentinel-1 SAR images and
complements the understanding about the flood event using long term (2000-18)
multi-temporal space based flood sensitive proxy indicators like precipitation
(GPM), soil moisture (AMSR-2), vegetation condition (MODIS) together with
ground based river gauge (CWC) data. The study reveals that in 2019 during the
39th week of the year (late September) the central and eastern parts of Bihar
witnessed heavy precipitation (176 percent higher than average), leading to
enhanced soil moisture build up (19 percent higher than average) and consequently
triggering severe flooding. River Ganga was observed to be flowing above danger
level for almost two weeks. Due to the prolonged submergence by floodwaters a
significant drop was observed in the NDVI and EVI values of about 13.7 and 11.1
percent respectively from the normal. About 8.36 lakh ha area was observed to be
inundated, impacting about 9.26 million population. Patna followed by Bhagalpur
were the two worst affected districts with almost 30% and 36% of districts
geographical area being flooded.

Rashiq and Prakash (2023): Urban Floods: A Case Study of Patna Floods 2019
– Natural or Anthropogenic? This case study aims to explore the different natural
and anthropogenic factors which caused the Patna flood of 2019 so that appropriate
mitigation strategies can be worked out and implemented to abate future urban
floods in Patna. In September 2019, Patna witnessed an urban flood due to a greater
than expected rainfall. Nearly 177 mm of precipitation within 48 h broke the
decade-old record of 158 mm on September 3, 2013.The floods led to the loss of
property, damaged structures, and the spread of waterborne diseases. Though, the
deluge was immediately blamed on climate change, it cannot be understated how
unplanned rapid urbanization, deforestation, exploitation of flood plain, and lack
of proper drainage networks are the underlying factors which aggravate the impact
of climate change. Lack of flood zoning, lack of proper action plan for disaster
management, and lack of proper legislation add fuel to the fire in terms of
preparedness.

Sharma and Priya (2001): Development strategies for flood prone areas, case
study: Patna, India. The article is a brief account of a study done on the city of
Patna, in Bihar, a flood‐affected city of India, where strategies were developed to
link the process of urban planning to the risk and damage of flooding in the area.
While natural disasters cannot be prevented, measures need to be taken to reduce
 18

the extent of damage, especially in a vast country like India with a huge population
base and scarce facilities. Proper physical planning is an important tool, which one
should utilize to regulate urban development as per the extent of damage
anticipated

Chakravorty, Ramana and Pandey (2021):Hydrodynamic Modeling of Urban

Flooding and Its Management: A Case Study of Patna, India. The study presented
in the paper simulates stormwater runoff through the drainage networks of Patna
town using the hydrodynamic storm water management model (SWMM). The
input to the model was extracted from different maps prepared in GIS environment.
The digital elevation model (DEM) prepared for the study area was divided into
50 sub-catchments depending on the topography, existing drainage network and
the land use pattern of Patna. Satellite data was used for land use classification of
Patna. Annual daily maximum rainfall data from 1975 to 2007 were used for the
analysis of design storm of Patna town.

Dinesh et al: Surveillance of breeding sites of dengue vector following the floods
in an urban area of Patna, Bihar, India.Dengue is a vector-borne communicable
disease caused by dengue virus (DENV) of the Flavivirus genus and transmitted
by female mosquito mainly Aedes aegypti and to a lesser extent Aedes albopictus.
The disease is distributed in more than 100 countries and spreading rapidly to other
countries. In India, all 28 states and 8 Union Territories are affected from this
dreaded disease. The records of dengue were available from 2012 in Bihar. The
severe disease outbreak was found during the post-flood period in the month of
October 2019. The surveillance of vectors was conducted in highly affected
mohallas of Patna urban. The survey was conducted by house-to-house visits. The
population was 8514 in 1373 houses. Out of 6388 containers checked for Aedes
larvae, 476 were found positive. The house index was found in the range of 6–40,
the container index of 1–51 and the breteau index of 6–11. A total of 175 containers
were treated with 1 ppm temephos. The community was sensitized for source
reduction in 1019 houses. All indices came down after the ninth day. This disease
outbreak came under control due to proper surveillance with timely and effective
control measures. The situation may reappear after the monsoon in the following
year if surveillance is ignored. Year-wise longitudinal surveillance is required to
combat further transmission of the disease.

Gupta (2020): Challenges in developing urban flood resilience in India focussed

mainly on the recurring urban flooding in India and the challenges the country
 19

faces in implementing sustainable drainage practices and developing urban flood

resilience. The major incidences of heavy rainfall and the consequent urban
flooding and their causes are briefly described. The recent flood disaster
management and mitigation measures carried out by the Central, State and Local
Government are highlighted. The flood resilience initiatives and challenges are
then discussed. The effects of climate change on increased rainfall in shorter
durations are now being felt in many Indian cities. The planners are now taking
cognizance of this and future flood resilience measures are being planned to
incorporate an integrated approach to stormwater management by recommending
best management practices in the stormwater manuals. However, a lot still needs
to be done to make the cities in India flood resilient.
 20

PURPOSE OF THE STUDY

This report tries to identify the main causes of urban flood in Patna by analyzing
the previous flood event and vulnerable area of flood.

OBJECTIVE
1. To identify the main causes of urban flood.
2. To analyze the previous flood events and identify the main vulnerable
area of flood in Patna district.
3. To evaluate the resilience and buildings capacity for the disaster
management and analyze the risk zonation of flood in study area.
4. To suggest the management strategies for urban flood mitigation and
sustainability in Patna district, Bihar.
 21

DATABASE AND RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

We have used a pre-prepared questionnaire for collecting primary data.
(Google forms). Selective Random sampling has been used to select the
students and the staff members who are well aware about the study area.
A well-prepared questionnaire has been used to collect the primary data.
The questionnaire was prepared. Another method used to collect
information regarding the evacuation plan through direct observation.
Sign boards, fire extinguishers, emergency exits and notices were
discerned. Photographs of our observations were clicked.
Others methodologies followed are:
Telephonic interview were conducted with other key informants
involved in flood relief who have experienced the problem during the
Patna flood.
Observations: Visual observations related to living condition, children space,
people’ activities and their immediate concern.
Photographic analysis: Flood pictures are collected from volunteers and other
partner team members and analyse to identify the current community issue.
Sample size – A total number of 100 people were chosen as sample and
observation method is also used by the researcher to get additional
knowledge.
MS Excel – MS Excel has been used as a tool to make spreadsheet and
diagrams such as pie diagram and Bar diagram.
QGIS – The Quantum GIS (QGIS 3.14) has been used for making maps.
Statistical Techniques – Statistical technique is used for taking out percentage.
 22

DATA ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION

The data collected via primary and secondary sources is analyzed and
interpreted below:
1. GENERAL AWARENESS
Following information regarding the awareness level of respondents about flood
was collected-

1.1. WITNESSED FLOOD

Majority of respondents have witnessed flood i.e. about 92% of the surveyed
population agreed that they have experienced flood. (fig 3)

Fig 3: Respondents who have witnessed flood

Source: Based on Primary Survey, 2023

Fig 4: When did they experienced flood

Source: Based on Primary Survey, 2023
 23

Among those who agreed to witness flood, about 45.5% experienced it between
2018-2020; 27.3% of the respondents told that they witnessed flood in last two
years while about 27.3% of the sample selected experienced flood between
2010-17.(fig no:4)
1.2. FREQUENCY OF FLOOD
Floods in Patna are generally frequent due to several reasons, such as heavy
rainfall, overflowing rivers, poor drainage systems, deforestation, and climate
change. And being situated on the banks of the Ganges River, makes it even
more prone to floods during the monsoon season. Additionally, the rapid
urbanization and encroachment on wetlands and water bodies may exacerbate
the flooding situation in Patna.

Fig 5: Frequency of Flood

Source: Based on Primary Survey, 2023

Majority of the respondents i.e. 56% agreed that floods are common in Patna
while 28% said flood occurs sometimes in the district. The diagram above
shows the responses of the surveyed people. (fig 5)

1.3. FLOOD RELATED FOREWARNING

Government has been successful to some extent in proving flood related
warning beforehand to the residents of the district as a majority of respondents
i.e. 68% agreed that they received forewarning related to flood while 16% of the
respondents denied receiving such information. (fig 6)
 24

Fig 6: Received flood related warning

Source: Based on Primary Survey, 2023

Fig 7 : Medium used to receive information

Source: Based on Primary Survey, 2023

Medium used for receiving the information was T.V. followed by newspapers
and mobiles. The figure above (fig 7) depicts the share of various mediums used
for receiving warning related to flood.
 25

1.4. AVAILABILITY OF BASIC NEEDS

Floods have a devastating impact on the infrastructure of an area. The basic
amenities of food, water, transportation, and electricity get severely affected.
The excessive rainfall during floods contaminates the available food supplies
and deprives the people of proper nutrition. The inundation of farmlands
destroys crops and livestock, causing a food scarcity and a significant rise in
food prices.
The views of the respondents regarding the availability of basic amenties in their
area is depicted by the diagram below (fig 8), where each factor is rated on a scale
of 1 -5 (1= least and 5= most)

Fig 8 : Quality of basic needs available

Source: Based on Primary Survey, 2023

Water sources get flooded and contaminated, becoming unsafe for human
consumption. This creates a massive shortage of clean water, leading to
widespread waterborne diseases like cholera and typhoid. The transportation
infrastructure, including bridges and roads, get submerged, making it
challenging to move people and goods. This disrupts the supply chain, and
essential goods like medicine, food, and fuel become inaccessible.

2. CAUSES OF FLOOD

Though Patna lies at the bank of river Ganges and also receives heavy rainfall
during monsoon still the main causes for flood is human induced. Deforestation,
concretization, urbanization, lack of proper drainage, corruption etc are identified
as major factors responsible for urban floods in Patna.
As stated in the ThirdPole “Climate change may have led to the Patna flood in
2019, but the Bihar capital remains waterlogged due to corruption and failed
urban planning”
 26

Similar statement was made by Alok Gupta in an article in Scroll.in which

stated that “Patna deluge wasn't caused by climate change alone. Government
ineptness was also to blame.”
When asked to the respondents, following responses were received:
2.1. CAUSES OF FLOODING IN PATNA CITY
The city has experienced disastrous floods in recent times. Though many natural
and human induced factors are held responsible for these flood incidents,
common among them are :
• Blockage of drains
• Encroachment in river basins
• Concretisation
• Deforestation
• Overflow of water from the river etc.

Fig 9 : Major causes of Floods in Patna

Source: Based on Primary Survey, 2023
The views of the surveyed population regarding the main causes of flood in the
district are depicted above (fig 9) where each factor is rated on a scale of 1 -5 (1=
least and 5= most)

2.2. PROPER DRAINAGE CHANNELS – EXISTENCE AND FUNCTIONING

A well developed and functioning drainage system is very crucial during

disaster like flood. It prevents situation of waterlogging by continuously
channelizing the water.
Majority of the respondents said that the city doesn’t have a proper drainage
system which can be depicted by the figure given below: (fig 10)
 27

Fig 10: Presence of Proper drainage

Source: Based on Primary Survey, 2023

Among those who agreed with the presence of proper drainage system in the
city, 45.5% believed that they are only 50-80% functional while only 18.2% of
the respondents said that drains are more than 80% functional. The figure below
shows the responses of the surveyed population. (fig 11)

Fig 11 : Functioning of drains

Source: Based on Primary Survey, 2023

Lack of proper planning and Government’s will can be identified as the major
factor responsible. According to the article “Climate Change meets corruption at
 28

Patna flood” by TheThirdPole when the officials tried to clear the choked drains
during 2019 Patna flood it was found that the map of drainage system of Patna is
missing since 2017, this clearly shows the carelessness by the officials.
2.3. ENCROACHMENT OF FLOOD PLAIN
It is said that Rivers need space to spread naturally and safely during floods.
Encroachment today has become one of the major cause for urban flood.

Fig 12: Increase in encroachment of floodplain

Source: Based on Primary Survey, 2023
Majority of the surveyed population believes that encroachment of floodplain
area has been done as 72% of the respondents agreed with the statement while
28% denied. (fig 12)
2.4. LEVEL OF CONCRETISATION
When asked about the increasing level of concretization in the district on a scale
of 1-5 where 1 is very low and 5 is vey high, about 36% rated it as 4 while 28%
rated it as 5. About 32% of the respondents believed the level of concretization
to be moderate and thus rated 3. The figure below depicts there response (fig 13):

Fig 13: increasing level of concretization

Source: Based on Primary Survey, 2023
 29

PLATE 2: URBAN SPRAWL OF PATNA

Increasing concretization is due to the rapid urbanization of the study area. The
map above depicts the urban sprawl of the district.

3. IMPACT OF FLOOD
Based on the responses received , impact of flood can be categorized into three
broad categories. The figure below depicts the data collected via questionnaire.
(fig 14)

Fig 14: Impact of flood

Source: Based on Primary Survey, 2023
 30

Majority of people consider Economic loss as the major impact followed by

impact on mental and physical health.

3.1. ECONOMICAL IMPACT

3.1.1. EFFECT ON LIVELIHOOD

Floods are one of the most devastating natural disasters that have adverse effects
on the livelihood of people. The impact of floods can be severe and long-lasting,
resulting in damage to infrastructure, displacement of populations and loss of
property, and income.
According to the survey conducted, 80% of the respondents agreed that flood
affects livelihood of people while 16% weren’t clear about it and 4% of the
respondents disagreed(fig 15).

Fig 15 : People affected by flood

Source: Based on Primary Survey, 2023

The impact of floods on agriculture and livestock production is significant as

well, because crops can be destroyed, and animals can be killed or swept away
by floodwaters. This leads to food insecurity, loss of income, and a drop in the
market for agricultural products. In addition, roads and bridges can be destroyed
and this restricts access to markets, resulting in a shortage of consumer goods.
According to the Report of the Committee Constituted for Formulation of
Strategy for Flood Management Works in Entire Country and River
Management Activities and Works Related to Border Areas (2021-26), Niti
Aayog, “As per the analysis the livelihood of both male and female were
affected badly by the devastating floods. For female Domestic works, wage
labour, Households chores as domestic maids, Rag pickers. Tailoring labors
were affected. For male's construction workers, self-employee, daily wages
workers, riskhaw puller, street vendor's labours were affected. It indicates the
incapacity of the community members to have proper nutritious food
availability in their households.”
 31

3.1.2. LOSS OF INFRASTRUCTURE

Damage of buildings is very common during flood due to waterlogging. The
level of water during flood is very high, which causes destruction.
According to the survey conducted, 48% of respondents said that water can get
about 2-3 feet deep , 28% of them considered water’s depth to be around 0.5-2
feet while 20% said that depth of water is generally more than 3feet. (fig 16)

Fig 16 : Depth of water during floods

Source: Based on Primary Survey, 2023
During the 2021 Patna Floods, the water level of Ganga was very high, as
shown on the figure. (fig 17)
Source: SANDRP

FIG 17: Water level of Ganga during Patna flood.2021

 32

According to the Report of the Committee Constituted for Formulation of

Strategy for Flood Management Works in Entire Country and River Management
Activities and Works Related to Border Areas (2021-26),Niti Aayog, “In Patna,
normal life was thrown out of gear, with several schools shut,roads inundated,
and many shops, hospitals and houses submerged in knee deepwaters.”

Such devastating affect is generally due to the fact that there is absence of flood
proof construction in general.

Fig 17: Presence of Flood prone construction

Source: Based on Primary Survey, 2023
Only 36% of the respondents had flood proof construction while the rest either
didn’t know or didn’t have. Figure below shows their responses(fig 17)

3.2. SOCIAL IMPACT

3.2.1. EVACUATION AND SHELTER HOMES

During disaster like flood, it is generally identified that not all the affected people
are evacuated safely. Based on the survey conducted it was found that, 40% of
the respondents believed that not all affected people are evacuated safely while
48% of the respondents said that everyone is evacuated safely. (fig 18)
 33

Fig 18: Safely evacuated population

Source: Based on Primary Survey, 2023

Fig 19: Presence of Enough shelter homes

Source: Based on Primary Survey, 2023

After evacuation the victims are generally shifted to a shelter home, which
according to 60% of the respondents not enough to accommodate all the
affected persons while only 20% believe that it can accommodate all the
victims. (fig 19)

3.2.2. DISCRIMINATION
Class based as well as caste based discrimination is common in shelter homesand
even during distribution of relief funds.
 34

According to Rediff.in , even in times of disaster and hardship, caste tensions

persist in flood reliefcamps in Bihar, where Dalits arrive at Bihar
Vidyapeet Bhawanand BN College camps, in Patna, where they are abused
by senior caste men,reports of peo ple being humiliated and deprived of
facilities were recorded. It was reported that group ofhigh-caste men forcibly
evicted Dalitwomen during a distribution of aid an d the women were
not allowed to eat with them.
Similarly, incidents of discrimination can also be traced during distribution of
relief funds. According to Rediff.in, during
floods in the Kosi region, Panchayat leaders distributed
relief supplies among their own castes and neglected other
castes, especially the poorest Dalits and the most backward castes.

Fig 20: Discrimination occurs during disaster like flood

Source: Based on Primary Survey, 2023
According to the Survey conducted, 60% of the surveyed population agreed that
discrimination is faced by weaker sections of the society during flood while 32%
denied it. (fig 20)
3.2.3. HIGHLY VULNERABLE GROUPS
Although disaster is same for everyone still its impact differ from person to
person. The weaker sections of the society i.e. SCs, STs, OBCs and EWS etc are
generally more vulnerable to disaster like flood due to their socio-economic
background.
According to the Report of the Committee Constituted for Formulation of
Strategy for Flood Management Works in Entire Country and River Management
Activities and Works Related to Border Areas (2021-26),Niti Aayog, “As per
assessment, there are 40 slums which are fully affected by the flood and 16425
families were the victims of flood. In most of the slums water level was 3 feet and
4 slums are not in accessible condition. The water resources
 35

are fully contaminated due to the situation, 66.52% families were denied by safe
drinking water.”

Fig 21: Certain section of society more vulnerable

Source: Based on Primary Survey, 2023

Based on the survey conducted, it was recorded that 48% of the respondents
considered these sections of the society more vulnerable to flood while 40%
denied it. (fig 21)
3.2.4. RELIEF MEASURES BY GO & NGOS

Several teams of National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and SDRF are out in
the Patna streets to rescue people. Meanwhile, three more NDRF teams have been
deployed in Patna to rescue people. The slum areas of Rajendra Nagar area,
Ramakrishna Nagar, Kankarbagh, boring road, Nala Road, Gandhi Maidan are
among the worst-affected localities in Patna. The Pataliputra Colony and Kurji
are also severely waterlogged.

Government initiatives :

NDRF, SDRF, Army are deployed for rescue operation.to moving stranded
people to safer places.

Local administration started supply of drinking water through tankaring in the

Islampur Taluka.
The administration felt that this is insufficient as they could able to mobilised
only 5 tankers and them also looking for more tanker to supply to the unreachable
areas. Government started distribution dry food distribution and ready to eat meal
to the relief camps.

CBO & individual efforts:

 36

Many local CBOs including BIAG members and individuals, small companies
came and distributed dry food, biscuits, water packet, cloths etc. But most of them
distributed on the main road and, they did not enter into the slums.

4. HEALTH RELATED IMPACTS

Floods can have a significant impact on the health of people in affected areas.
The impact on health of affected people can be categorised into;
• Physical Health
• Mental/Emotional Health
4.1. PHYSICAL HEALTH
4.1.1. LOSS OF LIFE
Large scale destruction and damage often results in loss of lives. According to
TheThirdPole, in 2019 Patna floods 30 deaths were reported. Due to development
and better availability of rescue and relief operations, a significantdecrease in loss
of lives during flood is recorded.

Fig 22: Loss of life in family or friend circle due to flood

Source: Based on Primary Survey, 2023
According to the survey, 64% of the respondents reported that no one from there
family has unfortunately lost their lives in flood while 20% of them agreedto the
statement and 16% were not aware about any such incident(fig 22)

4.1.2. WATERBORNE DISEASES

Floods can lead to the contamination of water sources, putting individuals at
risk of waterborne diseases such as cholera, typhoid, and diarrhea. As homes
and buildings become flooded, sewage systems can overflow and mix with
floodwaters, leading to the spread of these diseases.
Secondly, floods can also lead to the growth of mold and fungi in homes and
buildings, causing respiratory problems, such as coughing or wheezing, in
 37

affected individuals. Those with pre-existing respiratory conditions such as

asthma may experience worsened symptoms due to the damp environment.

According to NewsClick.com, “In 2019, after the floodwater receded, Patna

alone reported more than 3,000 dengue and 1,500 Chikangunia cases. Similarly,
disease outbreaks were reported in flood-affected areas in 2016, 2017, and 2018.”

4.2. MENTAL/EMOTIONAL HEALTH

Flooding can displace people from their homes and communities, leading to
increased stress and mental health problems. The loss of homes and personal
belongings can be traumatic and can cause depression and anxiety in many
individuals. The uncertainty of when or if they can return to their homes can
also cause prolonged stress.
Financial Stress, Anxiety, Post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) etc can be
found among the victims.

Fig 23: affected people show signs of anxiety,stress, PTSD etc

Source: Based on Primary Survey, 2023

According to the survey conducted,60% of the respondents agreed that affected

persons shows sign of stress, anxiety, PTSD etc while 40% weren’t aware of it.
The figure above depicts the response of the surveyed population. (fig 23).
 38

PREPAREDNESS PLAN
In Patna, systematic planning for flood management commenced with the Five
Year Plans, particularly with the launching of National Program of Flood
Management in 1954. During the last 48 years, different methods of flood
protection structural as well as non-structural methods have been adopted in
different states depending upon the nature of the problem and local conditions. In
order to mitigate the impact of floods appropriate flood management measures
have to be implemented. These measures can be classified into;

 Structural measures
 Non-structural measures

STRUCTURAL MEASURES:

Construction and upkeep of embankments: They make up the majority of

flood management efforts in Patna. It falls under the umbrella of urgent structural
actions. Building flood embankments is a highly common structural measure used
in the state, not because it is effective, but because it is simple andinexpensive to
build. A total of roughly 3732 km of embankments had been builtby March 2013;
another 1555 km were still under construction and were expectedto be finished by
2017 (WRD, Government of Bihar, Report,2014).

Storm water Drainage system: Present drainage system of Patna, consists of 4

distinct zones:

• Eastern zone
• Western zone
• Southern zone
• Central zone
However, due to its inefficiency,a new plan is proposedto synchronize with
existing storm water drainage network. The storm water canal is proposed in the
center of the spine of 80 m wide road, few of the 60 m & 45 wide roads will have
canal running along the road depending upon the design of the drainage line.
These would help to drainage the surface water to the river and help in reducing
floodwater to some extent. (Bihar Floods, JRNA,Report)

The Following map depicts the proposed drainage plan of the city.
 39

Fig 24: Proposed drainage system of Patna

Source: Bihar Floods, JRNA,Report

Channel improvements: Due to the heavy silts transported by the rivers from
their upstream catchment region, which is located in Patna, the current
embankments are coming under increasing pressure. In Ganga, it has been noted
that the rise in bed level over the previous three decades has been in the
neighbourhood of 1.8 metres or thereabouts. The embankments must constantly
be raised and strengthened due to this type of aggradations. However, this
increases river bed levels, reduces their carrying capacity, and congests drainage
systems in rural areas. A better solution to these problems is to improve the
natural drainage system or the rivers by dredging and de-silting. It improves the
carrying capacity of channels and makes it possible for water to flow within the
banks and at safe levels. However, this measure is not typically used because of
its high execution costs and other related issues.

How embankment protection functions:

The two main categories of embankment protection work are (i) anti-erosion
works and (ii) flood-fighting activities.
 40

Every year, anti-erosion work is done from January to May to repair

embankments that were damaged by excessive river discharge during the flood
season (the monsoon months) and to build any additional embankment protection
structures like spurs, aprons, and flood levees. To safeguard the embankments
during flood events, flood control work is done as needed during the flood period.
These are emergent phenomena.
In addition to it, it has been repeatedly noted that building adequate flood storage
in reservoirs and detention basins will offer a long-term solution for the flooding
issues in the region. No such dam has been built in either Bihar or Nepal on any
of the Ganga's tributaries, which could help to moderate floods in the area. The
main problem in this regard is that Bihar does not have any suitable land
accessible for the construction of dams on any of the north Bihar Rivers because
those rivers originate in Nepal.

Therefore, it is believed that structural changes alone are insufficient to lessen the
negative effects of floods in the state.
Adopting non-structural measures is necessary as part of a well-balanced strategy
for effective flood management.

NON-STRUCTURAL ACTIONS
However, losses in previous years suggest that structural changes alone won't be
enough to address the issue. Therefore, it is thought important to implement both
structural and non-structural solutions as part of an integrated strategy to
effectively reduce the effects of flooding. These non-structural actions consist of:
Planning for land usage-

Master plans or regulating rules should be taken into consideration while using
land in a flood-prone location.
Agriculture is permitted in flood-prone areas if water velocity is low and does not
seriously contribute to erosion. Patna in particular has a limited amount of
agricultural land, so in order to ensure self-sufficiency in food supply, flood-
prone lands can be wisely utilised as agricultural land.

Rebuilding flood-prone areas-

One can use a severe flood disaster as a chance to fix previous planning mistakes.
One alternative to take into account is the removal of flood-prone construction
and the conversion of the property to a specific and constrained usage. Physically
relocating flood-prone development as part of a catastrophe reduction effort
should be more cost-effective in the long run.
 41

Rewards and motivations-

After a calamity, compensation is given to the victims. It aids them in somewhat

regaining their standard of living. However, as part of disaster relief,
compensation must aim to lessen potential flood damage. In order to prevent
future occurrences of such tragedies, expenditures should instead be focused on
flood proofing, buyouts, and relocation instead of just covering damage. Similar
incentives should be created to promote removal from flood-prone areas and
flood hardening. It should be backed by a cost-sharing programme with
ownership and government stakes.

Flood insurance-

Flood insurance operates under the tenet that losses are shared among a larger
group of society. It is important to inform those who live in flood plains about
flood insurance. The authority is required to inform the populace of the necessity
for and advantages of flood insurance. Then, in the event of a flood disaster, the
accumulated premiums of policy holders will be used to cover the losses of the
affected peoples. In order to lessen the effects of flooding and related losses, flood
insurance might be implemented. "The Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana" is a
project in this direction, however it needs to be implemented more successfully
and for all assets, including livestock and livelihoods in afflicted areas.
Management of slack-

Floods occur annually, with the Lower Reach of the River Kosi and its tributary
tributaries being most affected. The Kosi's flow velocity substantially decreases
as it travels from the hills to the Nepal Terai and Bihar plains with tributaries such
the Adhawara group, Bagmati, and Kamla Balan. It causes the flow to deepen,
which lowers the capacity to carry sand. Silts are deposited at the riverbed (fig.
13) as a result of a decrease in the river's ability to convey water, which causes
the riverbed to rise and the banks to erode. The mouths of the canals frequently
become blocked, which causes the river's route to change and put a new area in
danger of flooding. This development is also blamed for raising water levels,
which ultimately lead to embankment breaches, overtopping, and floods within
the basin. To overcome this problem, watershed management with a successful
silt control strategy is required.

Flood hazard zonation (FHZ)- It is one of the most important non-structural

measures, which facilitates appropriate regulation, and development of
floodplains thereby reducing the flood impact. The recurrent flood events at
frequent intervals demand the need for identification of flood hazard prone areas
for prioritizing appropriate flood control measures. In this context, satellite
 42

remote sensing data plays an important role in delineating such flood hazard
zones

Flood forecasting and warning-

The main non-structural flood control tool is the flood forecasting and early
warning system. Experts can use mathematical modelling to transfer historical
data from databases, such as discharge, stage, and inundation area, to the present
using variables like rainfall, moisture, and snow cover. Flash floods occur in tiny
catchments because the interval between rainfall and the peak flood is so short.
Radar installation and quantitative precipitation forecasting are therefore advised
in these areas.. It gives enough time to react in the event of major rivers. For
communities at danger to take the necessary precautions and minimise losses,
accurate forecasting is required, as well as its formulation into dependable
warning and effective dissemination.

Urban Floods: Do’s & Don’ts

Before floods
• Do not litter waste, plastic bags, plastic bottles in drains
• Try to be at home if high tide and heavy rains occur simultaneously
• Listen to weather forecast at All India Radio, Doordarshan. Also,
messages by Municipal bodies from time to time and act accordingly.
• Evacuate low lying areas and shift to safer places.
• Make sure that each person has lantern, torch, some edibles, drinking
water, dry clothes and necessary documents while evacuating or shifting.
• Make sure that each family member has identity card.
• Put all valuables at a higher place in the house.

In the Flood Situation

• Obey orders by government and shift to a safer place.
• Be at safe place and they try to collect correct information.
• Switch of electrical supply and don’t touch open wires.
• Don’t get carried away by rumors and don not spread rumors.

After Floods
• Drink chlorinated or boiled water.
• Take clean and safe food
• Sprinkle insecticides in the water ponds/ stagnant water.
• Please cooperate with disaster survey team by giving correct information.

DO's
• Switch off electrical and gas appliances, and turn off services off at the
mains.
 43

• Carry your emergency kit and let your friends and family know where
you are going.
• Avoid contact with flood water it may be contaminated with
sewage,oil,chemicals or other substances.
• If you have to walk in standing water, use a pole or stick to ensure that
you do not step into deep water, open manholes or ditches.
• Stay away from power lines electrical current can travel through water,
Report power lines that are down to the power company.
• Look before you step-after a flood, the ground and floors are covered
with debris, which may include broken bottles, sharp objects, nails
etc.Floors and stairs covered with mud and debris can be slippery.
• Listen to the radio or television for updates and information.
• If the ceiling is wet shut off electricity. Place a bucket underneath the spot
and poke a small hole into the ceiling to relieve the pressure.
• Use buckets,clean towels and mops to remove as much of the water from
the afflicted rooms as possible.
• Place sheets of aluminium foil between furniture wet carpet.

Don't's
• Don't walk through flowing water - currents can be deceptive, and
shallow, fast moving water can knock you off your feet.
• Don't swim through fast flowing water - you may get swept away or
struck by an object in the water.
• Don't drive through a flooded area - You may not be able to see abrupt
drop - offs and only half a meter of flood water can carry a car away.
Driving through flood water can also cause additional damage to nearby
property.
• Don't eat any food that has come into contact with flood water.
• Don't reconnect your power supply until a qualified engineer has checked
it. Be alert for gas leaks - do not smoke or use candles, lanterns, or open
flames.
• Don't scrub or brush mud and other deposits from materials, This may
cause further damage.
• Never turn on ceiling fixtures if ceiling is wet. Stay away from ceilings
those are sagging.
• Never use TVs, VCRS, CRT terminals or other electrical equipment
while standing on wet floors, especially concrete.
• Don't attempt to remove standing water using your vacuum cleaner.
Don't remove standing water in a basement too fast. If the pressure is relieved
too quickly it may put undue stress on the walls.
 44

FINDINGS

Floods are a significant natural calamity affecting several regions across the
globe, and Patna district in the Indian state of Bihar is no exception. In recent
years, Patna has witnessed severe floods leading to significant economic, social,
and environmental consequences.Based on the various primary and secondary
data sources, the following findings about Urban Floods in Patna were recorded
-
1. MAIN CAUSES OF FLOODS
Patna district is one of the most flood-prone regions in the state of Bihar, India.
The district witnesses severe flooding almost every year, causing a heavy loss
of life and property. There is a combination of natural and human-made factors
that cause floods in Patna.
Natural factors includes the topography of the region which is low-lying area
with a flat landscape, and it is intersected by several rivers and rivulets. Along
with this, the district also receives the heavy rainfall.
The district receives significant rainfall every year, which contributes to the
flooding. During the monsoon season, which lasts from June to September, the
precipitation is often intense, leading to flash floods that cause significant
damage to infrastructure and human life.
Following graph depicts the average monthly rainfall in Patna in millimetres.
(Source: https://weather-and-climate.com/average-monthly-precipitation-
Rainfall,Patna,India)

FIG 25: Average Monthly rainfall of Patna

Human induced factors includes:

Deforestation and urbanization have intensified the flooding problem in Patna.
The rapid urbanization in the district has led to the destruction of natural
drainage systems and water bodies.
The rampant construction activities have caused extensive damage to the
wetlands, which plays a significant role in controlling the water levels during
monsoon. Additionally, the deforestation in the district has reduced the capacity
 45

of the land to absorb excessive precipitation, leading to rainwater runoff and

flooding.
The insufficient drainage system in the district is also a crucial factor for floods
along with rapid concretisation and encroachment of river basin.
Another major factor for flooding in the Patna district is the lack of proper
maintenance of the dams and embankments that line the rivers. The critical
embankments which are constructed to protect the city from flooding have been
poorly maintained, and most of the dams have breached or started leaking.

2. SPATIAL AND TEMPORAL DISTRIBUTION OF FLOOD IN PATNA

DISTRICT
In recent years, urban floods have become more common due to rapid
urbanization, lack of proper drainage system, and encroachment of water
bodies. The city has experienced severe floods in 1975, 1987, 2004, 2007,
2027,2019, 2020 and 2021.

Among the districts affected by flood in Bihar, Patna is one such district which
faves the wrath of nature in the form of floods almost every year.
The district has 23 blocks and based on the data collected from Flood Hazard
Atlas by NRSA, these wards can be classified into low risk, moderate risk and
high risk which is shown via map below.
PLATE 3: BLOCK WISE FLOOD RISK INDEX
 46

3. RESILIENCE AND BUILDING CAPACITY

Loss of property and infrastructure due to floods is very common in Bihar.Every
year loss of property due to flood is recorded in the district.
The graph below depicts the loss of property due to flood in Millions in Bihar.
(Source: OpIndia)

Fig 26: Loss of Property due to flood in Bihar

The annual data of property loss clearly depicts how flood prone buildings is
difficult to find in the city.This is also verified by the primary survey conducted
where only 36% of the surveyed population had flood prone construction.

According to DownToEarth -Urban flooding: The case of drowning cities and

rising vulnerability, "In Patna, severe water logging has brought the city to a halt,
with hospitals and residential areas filled with waist-deep water. Transport
services have been disrupted, with many trains cancelled."
Life of the local residents are worst affected as stated in an article by the Times
of India where Dheeraj Kumar, a coach at Patna Golf Club and resident of Shastri
Nagar, had a tough time draining out rainwater, which gushed into his house. He
stated “We kept our two kids on the bed and cooked food on the same bed. We
face similar situation every year during monsoon as drains are not cleared on
time. Even slight rain results in waterlogging in the area. No PMC official visited
this area to check waterlogging on Friday,”
The initiatives by Government in the form of NDRF, SDRF etc, individual efforts
as well as the efforts of various NGOs have resulted into better management of
flood affected areas.
 47

However, Absence of proper flood risk zonation and its monitoring still remains
a matter of concern as Illegal and unauthorized construction and
permanent encroachment in the Ganges floodplain cause enormous amou nts
of waste, noise and produce large amounts of sewage.
The following map depicts the Buffer zones in River Ganga , where area within
1 km of the river is demarcated as high risk zone, area within 2 kms of the river
is demarcated as moderate risk zone and area within 3 kms of the river is
demarcated as low
risk zone.
PLATE 4: FLOODPLAIN ZONATION OF PATNA

These areas
are inundated by floods every year, they exacerbate the danger to life
and property of surrounding residents
and Illegal construction obstructs the natural flow of rivers

.
 48

SUGGESTIONS

1. Affected villages require immediate water supply by tankers. That is

to meet the demand for drinking water created by evacuation, damage
to affected municipalities and infrastructure on embankments or roads.
2. Temporary installation of a waste disposal site and a bathing place for
women is required where these affected families evacuated.
3. Hygiene set with disinfectant, soap, toothbrush, toothpaste, antiseptic
and sanitary pads and detergents should be made available to meet the
needs of vulnerable family members, women, adolescent girls,
children
4. Government should ensure safe housing for families whose homes have
been completely destroyed.
5. Alternate power sources for water systems can also be investigated like
Solar panel. These can be built for pumping stations to reduce dependencies
electric or diesel powered.
6. Doctors should organize medical camps in affected areas or in such cases
where medical facilities are far from the village.
7. Chlorination/disinfection of water sources of affected region is
recommended
8. Healthcare workers should be trained in disaster management.
9. Mobile Van Health Facilities ought to be supplied in hard-to- attain areas.
10.Community led disaster risk management trainings camps should be
conducted.
 49

CONCLUSION

In the town like Patna, flooding was caused majorly due to improper drainage,
blockage of natural drainage paths as well as construction on the riverbed and on
open spaces which had the sandy soils that absorbed the rains along with that the
increasing garbage and population combined to make the water levels rise due to
garbage of all kinds and silt increasing in the small rivers of the area and
unavailability or lack of embankment. The exposure to flooding through
improper housing can be seen easily as ones with kutcha houses have their whole
homes being washed off, these living in kutcha houses are not only vulnerable to
floods but when asked about flood experiences have very differentthings to recite
even in the same neighbourhood with waters draining and going inside their
houses in minor water logging episodes.
 50

REFERENCES
1. Bhatt, C.M.; Gupta, A;Roy,A; Dalal, P; and Chauhan,P.2020.Geospatial
analysis of September, 2019 floods in the lower gangetic plains of Bihar
using multi-temporal satellites and river gauge data, Taylor and Francis
Online, Volume 12,Issue 1.

https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/19475705.2020.1861113

2. Rashiq,A; and Prakash, O.2023. Urban Floods: A Case Study of Patna

Floods 2019 – Natural or Anthropogenic?, Springer Link.

https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-031-21618-3_4
3. Sharma,V.K; and Priya, T.2001.Development strategies for flood prone
areas, case study: Patna, India, Emerald Insight,Volume 10, No. 2, pp:
101-110.

https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/096535601103888
52/full/html

4. Chakravorty, B; Ramana, R.V.; and Pandey, N.G.2021.Hydrodynamic

Modeling of Urban Flooding and Its Management: A Case Study of
Patna, India, Springer Link, pp 389–404.
https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-030-81768-8_3
5. Dinesh, D.S; Singh, H;Topno,R.K.;Kumar,V; Kesari,S;
Singh,S.P;Gupta,A.K; Pradhan,K;Deb,A;Das,
V.N.R;Mondal,R.K.;Kumar,M;Ranjan,A;Das,P; and Pandeya,K.2020.
Surveillance of breeding sites of dengue vector following the floods in an
urban area of Patna, Bihar, India, Challenges in developing urban flood
resilience in India,The Royal Society Publishing.
6. Gupta,K; 2020.Challenges in developing urban flood resilience in
India,The Royal Society Publishing.
https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/full/10.1098/rsta.2019.0211
 51

ANNEXURE
QUESTIONNAIRE
SECTION 1
1. NAME
2. RESIDENCE
3. PROFESSION
4. AGE

SECTION 2
1. Have you ever witnessed flood in Patna?
a. Yes
b. No
2. if yes when?
a. in the last two year
b. 2018 - 2022
c. 2010 - 2017
d. before 2010
3. How frequent the flood comes in the city?
a. Often
b. Sometimes
c. rarely
d. never
4. How deep does the water generally get?
a. less than 0.5 feet
b. 0.5 to 2 feet
c. 2-3 feet
d. above 3 feet
5. As per your opinion what do you think would be the cause of the flooding
in Patna city? 1 - least and 5- most
 52

6. Do you think there exist a proper drainage channels in your city?

Yes
No

7. if yes, To what extent they are fully functional?

more than 80%

50% - 80%

less than 50 %

8. Do you think that people in Patna have encroached upon the flood plain
area?

Yes
No
9. level of concretisation in your city? rate 1-5

10. What according to you people generally face after being affected by a
disaster like flood?
• affect on Physical health (like injury)
• Affect on mental health (like anxiety, depression)
• economic loss (loss of livelihood, property)
• other
11. Has anyone from your family or friend circle unfortunately lost his / her
life during flood?
a. Yes
b. No
c. Maybe
12. . Do you think your livelihood gets affected by flood?
a. Yes
b. No
c. Maybe
 53

13. Do you think people belonging to SC (scheduled caste), ST (Scheduled

Tribes), OBC(Other Backward Classes) and EWS (Economically Weaker
Section) are generally more affected by flood?
a. Yes
b. No
c. Maybe
14. Is the construction of your property flood proof?
a. Yes
b. No
c. Maybe
15. Do you think often the affected people show signs of Post Traumatic
Disorder (like stress, depression, nightmares, severe anxiety etc)?
a. Yes
b. No
c. Maybe

SECTION 3
16. Did the Goveínment píovide flood íelated waíning befoíehand?
a. Yes
b. No
c. Maybe
17. if yes, then by which medium?

18. Do you think the shelter homes present in your district are enough to
accommodate people during disaster like flood?
a. Yes
b. No
c. Maybe
19. What percentage of affected people according to you are generally safely
evacuated in a shelter home?
 54

20. According to you, rate the availability of the basic needs during the flood
times?

21. Do you think people belonging to weaker sections of the society often face
discrimination while receiving flood relief aid?
a. Yes
b. No
c. Maybe
22. Are you satisfied with the flood relief works done by public (government) and
private (NGOs, SHGs) institutions of your area?
a. Yes
b. No
c. Maybe
23. Do you have any suggestion that could improve the flood management of your
area?
55