Nepal Floodwaters Wash 'Unusual' Fish Into Rivers; Bihar Issues Health Advisory
The Bihar government has issued a public health advisory urging people not to catch, buy, sell or consume unidentified or unusual-looking fish reportedly carried into the state by floodwaters from Nepal.
The Bihar government on Tuesday issued a public health advisory warning residents against catching, buying, selling, or consuming unfamiliar fish swept into state water bodies by surging floodwaters from Nepal. The alert from the Fisheries Division of the Dairy, Fisheries and Animal Resources Department follows reports of residents falling ill after eating unusual fish species caught in flood-hit border districts, particularly along the Gandak basin in West Champaran and Gopalganj, according to a report.
Authorities cautioned that fish swept downstream during heavy flash floods are exposed to severe biological contamination, making them unsafe for human consumption until river conditions stabilize. Nepal Floods: 500 Workers Feared Trapped in Tunnels as Death Toll Surpasses 950.
Health Hazards and Contamination Risks
According to the state advisory, flash floods in Nepal’s Trishuli River and surrounding mountain channels have carried sewage, agricultural runoff, animal carcasses, and organic debris into major border rivers like the Gandak and Kosi. Fish displaced over long distances across flooded areas are highly likely to harbor disease-causing bacteria, viruses, fungi, and chemical pollutants.
Health officials urged citizens not to assume an unfamiliar fish is safe simply because it resembles common edible species. The department instructed individuals who develop symptoms such as vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain, dizziness, or breathing difficulties after consuming floodwater fish to seek immediate medical attention. Nepal Flash Floods: Indian Specialised Team Joins Tunnel Search and Rescue Operations.
Identification of Giant Catfish Species
Experts from the Wildlife Trust of India (WTI) identified many of the unusually large, unfamiliar fish surfacing in the Gandak basin as Bagarius bagarius, commonly known as the Goonch catfish or locally as "Gochita."
A large, carnivorous freshwater catfish native to fast-flowing rivers across India, Nepal, and Southeast Asia, the Goonch often hides in deep, rocky stretches with strong currents. Wildlife experts noted that while local riverine communities sometimes eat the species, its flesh spoils rapidly after death. When swept into polluted, stagnant floodwaters, dead or stressed catfish deteriorate quickly, creating significant food poisoning risks.
Advisory Guidelines and Reporting Protocol
The state government appealed to the public to refrain from trading or consuming any flood-caught fish and urged residents to report sightings of strange or dead fish species to their local District Fisheries Officer or district administration.
District officials in West Champaran and Gopalganj have been put on alert to monitor local fish markets and prevent the commercial distribution of floodwater catches while broader flood relief operations continue across northern Bihar.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Sep 02, 2026 12:01 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).
