Kosi River

30 Oct 2024 11:17:09 am

Tags : Kosi River

Topic: Rivers

Why in the news?

Fear of devastating floods haunts thousands of people in nearly a dozen districts of north Bihar after the rising Kosi and Gandak rivers forced authorities to release water from barrages on September 28.
Both the Kosi and Gandak have swollen due to heavy monsoon rainfall in the catchment areas of Nepal and north Bihar in the last two days.
Besides, water levels are also rising in the Ganga, Mahananda, Bagmati and Kamla Balan rivers, which threatens to cause flood-like situations in many parts of the state.

Source: Down To Earth

About Kosi River:

It is a transboundary river which flows through China, Nepal, and India.
It is a prominent tributary of the Ganges.
It is formed by the confluence of three streams, namely the Sun Kosi, the Arun Kosi, and the Tamur Kosi, all of which have their origin in the Himalayan region of Nepal and Tibet.
Course:
- About 48 km north of the Indian-Nepalese frontier, the Kosi is joined by several major tributaries and breaks southward through the Siwalik Hills at the narrow Chatra Gorge.
- The river then emerges on the great plain of northern India in Bihar state on its way to the Ganges River, which it enters south of Purnea after a course of about 724 km.
The Kosi drains an area of 74,500 sq.km, of which only 11,070 sq.km lie within Indian Territory.
Its valley is bounded by steep margins that disconnect it from the Yarlung Zangbo River to the north, the Mahananda River to the east, the Gandaki to the west, and the Ganga to the south.
It is well known for its tendency to change course generally in westward direction. During the last 200 years, the river has shifted westwards for a distance of about 112 km and has laid waste large tracts of agricultural land.
It is known as the \"sorrow of Bihar\", as it has caused widespread human suffering in the past due to flooding and very frequent changes in course, when it flows from Nepal to Bihar.
It has seven major tributaries: Sun Koshi, Tama Koshi or Tamba Koshi, Dudh Koshi, Indravati, Likhu, Arun, and Tamore or Tamar.