54 people die in rain-related incidents in UP, rivers in spate

About 18 lakh people in 923 villages in Uttar Pradesh were affected by floods, with 54 deaths in rain-related incidents.

More than 18 lakh people living in 923 villages in Uttar Pradesh are affected by flood while 54 people have died in rain-related incidents in the state in last 24 hours even as incessant rain in various districts and rise in the water level of major rivers has led to flooding in 16 districts.

People moving to a safer place in boat after their village was flooded by Sharda river in Kheri’s Dhaurahra tehsil on July 11. (HT photo)

A report from the relief commissioner’s office said, 43 people died due to lightning in 10 districts, while 9 deaths were due to drowning in four districts and 2 deaths due to snake bite in 2 districts. Among the 43 deaths due to lightning in 10 districts included 14 in Pratapgarh, 7 in Sultanpur, 6 each in Fatehpur and Chandauli, 4 in Prayagraj, 2 in Hamirpur and one each in Unnao, Amethi, Etawah and Sonbhadra districts.

Nine deaths due to drowning included 3 each in Fatehpur and Pratapgarh, 2 in Etah and one in Banda district. Two deaths due to snake bite included one each in Amethi and Sonbhadra districts. Incessant rain in the foothills of Himalayan range in Uttarakhand and rise in the water level of Rapti, Sharda, Ghaghra, Budhi Rapti and Kuwano rivers has led to flooding in 16 districts in Uttar Pradesh.

These districts include Gonda, Balrampur, Shravasti, Kushinagar, Pilibhit, Lakhimpur Kheri, Basti, Shahjahanpur, Barabanki, Sitapur, Siddharthnagar, Ballia, Gorakhpur, Bareilly, Moradabad and Azamgarh. The flood has affected 18,00,335 people residing in 923 villages of the state. The NDRF and SDRF teams have shifted 10,996 people to safer places, while 1,91,515 hectare agricultural land has been submerged in the flood.

In Lakhimpur Kheri, 1,79,293 people residing in 250 villages have been hit by flood. Likewise, 11 villages are affected in Pilibhit district, 8 in Shravasti, 41 in Balrampur, 5 in Kushinagar, 6 in Basti, 43 in Shahjahanpur, 4 in Barabanki, 29 in Sitapur, 18 in Gonda and 83 in Siddharthnagar district.

Similarly, 3 villages are in the grip of flood in Ballia, 5 in Gorakhpur, 19 in Bareilly, 2 in Moradabad and one village in Azamgarh district. National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) and Provincial Armed Constabulary (PAC) flood units have been pressed into service in six districts to carry out rescue and relief operations.

The villagers trapped in the flood-hit villages have been shifted to shelters. River Sharda was flowing above the danger mark in Lakhimpur Kheri, Ghaghara was above danger level in Barabanki, Ayodhya and Ballia, Rapti was above danger level in Gorakhpur, Budhi Rapti was above danger level in Siddharthnagar and the Kuwano was flowing above danger level in Gonda district.

River Ramganga was flowing near danger level in Shahjahanpur district, Rapti in Balrampur and Siddharthnagar and Kunahra was flowing near danger level in Siddharthnagar district.