Flood situation in eastern Uttar Pradesh remains grim

The flood situation in eastern Uttar Pradesh remained grim on Thursday as swelling of several rivers, including Saryu and Rapti, continued for the sixth consecutive day

The flood situation in eastern Uttar Pradesh remained grim on Thursday as swelling of several rivers, including Saryu and Rapti, continued for the sixth consecutive day. The constant pressure has also posed a threat to embankments at various places in the southern part of Gorakhpur district, said officials familiar with the matter.

Prayagraj: Deputy Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh Keshav Prasad Maurya distributes food packets and flood relief material to flood affected people in a residential colony as the water level of the Ganga and Yamuna rivers continues to stay high in the ongoing monsoon season, in Prayagraj, Tuesday, August 30, 2022. (PTI Photo) (PTI08_30_2022_000205A) (PTI)

Parts of Uttar Pradesh, which had been recording heavy rainfall since Saturday, received some respite from the rain on Wednesday. Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath on Thursday made an aerial survey of flood-affected areas in Sant Kabir Nagar district and distributed relief materials to the flood-hit victims.

“A work plan to rehabilitate people, who face flood wrath every year in Dhanghata tehsil, to safe and secure places should be made and the officials should think seriously over it,” he said.

People familiar with the matter said residents of around four dozen villages surrounding Rapti and Sarayu, including Sant Kabir Nagar and Deoria, have been spending sleepless nights amid rising concerns of overflow.

Executive engineer irrigation Dinesh Singh said that the river level has been constant in Sant Kabir Nagar but increased in Deora district, and added that they were prepared for any danger.

On Thursday, Budhi Rapti River eroded the embankments near Shohratgarh and inundated over 20 more villages. People familiar with the matter said that 8 lakh cubic litres of water was released in the barrage near Nepal, which would reach Gorakhpur in the next 24 hours, triggering fears among the local residents.

According to NDRF officer Gautam Gupta, five relief camps have been set up in the Gorakhpur district. As many as 172 villages are affected by floods, while 22 are marooned. District authorities have sent 170 boats to the inundated villages, he added.