Floods start receding, relief for Prayagraj

Recent heavy rains in parts of Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Uttarakhand led to an alarming rise in the water levels of the Ganga and Yamuna. The heavy inflows into the Yamuna tributaries Chambal, Ken and Betwa caused water to overflow on barrages constructed on these rivers.

In a much-needed relief for people affected by floods in the Ganga and the Yamuna, water levels of both the rivers finally started receding at all three measuring points in Prayagraj on Tuesday.

Flood affected low-lying areas of Prayagraj on Tuesday. (Anil Kumar Maurya/HT)

Flood control officials said as of Tuesday 4 pm while the Ganga was receding at 7 cm/2 hours at Phaphamau and 6 cm/2 hours at Chhatnag, water in the Yamuna was subsiding at 5 cm/2 hours.

In the 24 hours ending Tuesday 4 pm, floods in the Ganga receded by 14 cm to 85.77 metres at Phaphamau and 26 cm to 85.77 metres at Chhatnag. The water level of the Yamuna also came down by 27 cm to 85.62 metres in the same period.

However, both rivers flowing a metre over the danger mark of 84.734 metres were still a matter of concern.

Recent heavy rains in parts of Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Uttarakhand led to an alarming rise in the water levels of both rivers. The heavy inflows into the Yamuna tributaries Chambal, Ken and Betwa caused water to overflow on barrages constructed on these rivers.

Meanwhile, devotees were gearing up to clean the Bade Hanuman temple with the floodwaters expected to subside from there. The temple has been underwater for the last 10 days.

“As of Tuesday evening, 6,784 people from 1,496 families were taking shelter at 21 flood relief camps set up in the flood-hit zones. A total of 158 villages and localities of the district are affected by the floods. As many as 282 boats are pressed into service for relief and rescue works,” said ADM (finance and revenue) Jagdamba Singh, also the district nodal officer in charge of all affairs related to natural disasters.