E-Paper
Major rivers continue to surge in Uttar Pradesh, 605 villages of 24 districts flooded
Hamirpur worst affected district in Uttar Pradesh followed by Banda, Etawah and Jalaun. NDRF and SDRF teams rescue 536 people; 504 medical teams deployed.
With major rivers continuing to flow above the danger mark in Uttar Pradesh, the number of flood-affected villages in the state went up to 605 in 24 districts, an official said here on Wednesday.
The Ganga was flowing above the danger level at Badaun, Prayagraj, Mirzapur, Varanasi, Ghazipur and Ballia districts, relief commissioner Ranveer Prasad said at a press conference in the state capital.
The Yamuna was flowing above the danger mark in Auraiya, Jalaun, Hamirpur, Banda and Prayagraj districts while the Betwa river was in a similar position in Hamirpur, he said.
The Sharda river continued to flow above the danger mark in Lakhimpur Kheri and so did the Kuwano in Gonda and the Chambal on the Uttar Pradesh-Rajasthan border, he added.
Seventy-five villages were flooded in Hamirpur district, followed by 71 in Banda, 67 each in Etawah and Jalaun, 42 in Varanasi, 38 in Kausambi, 37 each in Chandauli and Ghazipur, 25 in Auariya, 24 each in Kanpur Dehat and Prayagraj, 23 in Farrukhabad, 20 in Agra and 17 in Ballia district.
Villages were also flooded in Mirzapur, Gorakhpur, Sitapur, Mau, Lakhimpur Kheri, Shahjahanpur, Bahraich, Gonda and Kanpur districts, he said.
Prasad said over 25 mm rainfall was recorded in 11 districts —Prayagraj, Chitrakoot, Kaushambi, Pratapgarh, Basti, Gonda, Sultanpur, Shravasti, Rae Bareli, Fatehpur and Lucknow — in the past 24 hours.
The state government deployed nine teams of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) in nine districts, 11 teams of the the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) in 11 districts and 39 teams of the Provincial Armed Constabulary (PAC) in 39 districts for relief and rescue operations, the relief commissioner said.
The NDRF and SDRF teams rescued 536 people and 504 medical teams were deployed in the flood- hit areas, he added. Besides, 11,235 flood posts and 940 flood shelters were set up in the state and 1463 boats pressed into service for relief and rescue operations, he said.
While link roads to 120 villages in various districts were cut off, agricultural land and houses were submerged in 113 villages, he said.
Twenty-five villages were facing erosion to a sudden rise in the water level of the rivers, he added.
A state government spokesperson said food packets and dry ration were being distributed among the people in the flood-hit areas.
“Regular patrolling is being conducted in the villages as well as on the river embankments and other sensitive spots. The districts’ administration have been directed to set up community kitchens. Regular supply of essential commodities like petrol, diesel, kerosene and edible items is being maintained in the flood-hit areas,” he said.