Rain fury claims 17 more lives in UP

Nature’s wrath: Death toll up to 165 since July 1, majority of the people killed in house/wall collapse

Seventeen more people died in rain-related incidents in different parts of UP in the last 24 hours, taking the death toll up to 165 since July 1, officials said.

Heavy rainfall in Gonda, Bahraich and Faizabad districts led to increase in the water level of Ghaghra. On Thursday, the district administration launched rescue operations in the rural areas of Nanpara tehsil in Bahraich as over a dozen villages were inundated. (HT Photo)

Three people died in Kanpur, two each in Shahjahanpur, Gonda, Banda and Unnao districts. One person each died in Barabanki, Kannauj, Kanpur Dehat, Firozabad, Ambedkar Nagar and Pilibhit districts, said a state government officer.

According to a report by the revenue department, 133 people were injured and 1,606 houses/hutments damaged in heavy rainfall.

Majority of the people in died in house/wall collapse. Others were killed by lightning, crushed under tree or were swept away by the current of the rivers or overflowing drains. Chief minister Yogi Aditynath directed the DMs to shift people from the dilapidated buildings.

Heavy rainfall in Gonda, Bahraich and Faizabad districts led to increase in the water level of Ghaghra. On Thursday, the district administration launched rescue operations in the rural areas of Nanpara tehsil in Bahraich as over a dozen villages were inundated. The villagers were shifted to safer spots, a district administration officer said.

In Gonda, the spate in Ghaghra eroded a large chunk of the temporary embankment constructed around the old Elgin-Charsadi embankment. Several villages were marooned in Karnailganj and Tarabganj tehsil of the district.

Relief commissioner Sanjay Kumar said the district magistrates had been alerted and asked to organise relief and rescue operations. The state government announced ex-gratia of ₹4lakh for the family of the deceased and ₹59,100 for each injured.

Compensation of ₹95,100 would be provided to the families whose houses were totally damaged while ₹5,200 will be given for partial damage and ₹4,100 for those losing their hutments due to heavy rain.