[1] Although annual floods are common in Bihar,[2] heavier than usual rainfall during the monsoon season that year led to increasing water levels.
By 3 August, the estimated death toll was 41 people, and 48 schoolgirls were marooned in a school in the Darbhanga district.
Many major rivers, including the Ganges, Punpun, Bagmati, Gandak, and Kosi, flowed above the danger mark.
Rainfall in July exceeded the monthly average over a 30-year period by a factor of five, leading to more than 40% of the state of Bihar being submerged.
Many residents were forced to seek refuge on higher ground, while others were marooned and unable to access assistance.