Flash flood in river Koyel in Daltonganj after 50 years
Pioneer News Service
Daltonganj
Relentless monsoon rains have pushed Jharkhand’s major rivers above danger levels, with the Swarnarekha, Kharkai, Koel, and Damodar rivers causing flood threats in several districts. Palamu’s Medininagar has seen over 200 homes affected as the Koel river overflowed, submerging low-lying areas and forcing cancellation of tourist bookings near Palamu Tiger Reserve.
The Koyel floods reminds of massive flood had come in this Koyel river in 1976 when families living on the bank of the river near Giriwar school, had to move into the upland located Palamu club for a couple of days there waiting for the flood water to recede.
Hussain Waris, 68, a well known lawyer said “This Friday flood is far more ferocious than 1976. It’s highly turbulent. It’s worrying.” The lawyer reminded that safety amenities were less in those years than what people had today.
As the river Koyel is a rain fed river, it has flash flood once or twice every rainy season but this 2026 August flash flood surpasses all recent flash floods of 5 to 10 years said another resident of the river bank. Daltonganj town’s low lying areas like Belwatiker, Kandu mohalla, Bhatti mohalla, Pahari mohalla etc are inundated said sources.
A government middle school in Belwatiker in town had 1 foot water on the campus. Bikes and four wheelers got under flood water in the low lying areas. Nodal officer of the district disaster management Kundan Kumar who is the additional collector made a detour of the flooded areas asking people to keep off the river.
DC Palamu Dilip Pratap Singh Shekhawat said, “District administration have alerted our civic and medical personnel to be in high alert to meet any exigency arising out of the flash flood.” Administration is keeping a close watch on the houses located right in the bed of the river asking people to shift to safer places till the water recedes.
Sources said the flash flood brings in venomous and mon venomous snakes and hence people living on the bank of the river Koyel are advised to be careful and vigilant at night.
