PATNA: The Saran embankment, under severe strain from the rising Gandak river, gave way on Thursday afternoon causing a breach in a 500-metre stretch of the embankment near Simaria village in North Bihar's Gopalganj district.

The State government, which has been mobilising resources since Tuesday, has started relief operations in the three districts of Gopalganj, Chhapra and Siwan on a war foot