Following heavy rains in catchment areas in Nepal and in the border districts, the State government has issued flood warning for districts of north Bihar where the major rivers are in spate. The government has also cancelled the leave of engineers of State Waters Resources Department, instructing them to remain on high alert. The water level in the Kosi, Gandak, Baghmati, Ganga and their tributaries is rising and above the danger level in some places. More than 200 villages in Supaul, West and East Champaran, Saharsha, Khagaria, Madhubani, Katihar, Bhagalpur and Sheohar districts have been inundated by the flood waters. Thousands of affected people have been forced to leave home for safer places. NDRF teams deployed The State Water Resources Department said, “All flood protection embankments in the State are safe and arrangements have been made in view of the flood threat.” State Water Resources Minister Rajiv Ranjan Singh alias Lallan Singh said, “There is no need to panic..all embankments are safe and the government is on alert.” Companies of the State Disaster Relief Force and the National Disaster Relief Force have been stationed with rescue and relief materials in vulnerable districts of the Kosi area. In August 2008, over thousand people died and more than three million rendered homeless in north district of Bihar when Kosi river breached its banks upstream in Nepal and changed its course. The meteorological department has predicted heavy rain in the next 48-hours in the catchments area of Nepal and border districts of Bihar.