More than one-third of Uttar Pradesh's districts have been hit by floods, with relief measures underway in the affected areas, even as the water levels of the Ganga and other rivers continue to remain a concern
LUCKNOW — More than one-third of Uttar Pradesh's districts have been hit by floods, with relief measures underway in the affected areas, even as the water levels of the Ganga and other rivers continue to remain a concern, officials said on Friday.
According to the relief commissioner's office, around 3.53 lakh people have been affected by the floods in 26 districts. As many as 17,544 people have been moved to safer locations, while 4,847 people are staying in relief shelters.
A total of 1,312 flood shelters have been set up across the state, while 1,634 flood outposts, 1,697 boats and motorboats and 1,068 medical teams have been deployed in the affected areas, the government said in a statement.
The relief machinery has distributed 72,897 flood-relief packets and 3,67,551 lunch packets among the affected people. More than 5.52 lakh chlorine tablets and 1.87 lakh ORS packets have also been distributed as part of the health-and-sanitation measures.
More than 5,000 quintals of fodder have been provided for livestock. Over 45,000 animals have been affected by the floods, but no livestock death has been reported, the statement said.
The affected districts are Amroha, Ayodhya, Azamgarh, Badaun, Ballia, Barabanki, Basti, Chandauli, Farrukhabad, Ghazipur, Gonda, Gorakhpur, Hardoi, Kasganj, Kanpur, Lakhimpur Kheri, Mirzapur, Moradabad, Pilibhit, Prayagraj, Raebareli, Rampur, Sant Kabir Nagar, Shahjahanpur, Unnao and Varanasi.
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In Chitrakoot, the water level of the Mandakini river has receded to 128 metres from its peak of 135.2 metres recorded on August 29, but authorities continue to monitor the situation and the relief operations, the government said.
A total of 688 people have been evacuated to safer locations, while 13,906 people in 36 affected villages have received assistance.
The affected areas include 19 villages in Karwi, seven in Rajapur and 10 in Manikpur.
The administration has distributed 28,803 lunch packets and 2,065 relief kits in the affected areas. Eighteen flood shelters are operational, while 28 medical teams equipped with ambulances and medicines have been deployed.
The government said 653 houses have suffered partial damage in the floods.
A total financial assistance of INR 7.52 lakh has been transferred to the accounts of 188 affected beneficiaries, while an amount of INR 1.2 lakh has been provided in a case of complete damage. Payments in other cases are being processed.
A 30-member National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) team and two State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) teams comprising 27 personnel have also been deployed in the district. Authorities are conducting crop-loss surveys to assess the damage to farmers.
In Ghazipur, police and the administration have rescued 12 shepherds and more than 2,000 sheep stranded from an island near Duhia Saraiya as the Ganga's water level rose.
The rescue operation lasted around six hours. A joint police-administration team reached the Dadri Ghat after receiving information late in the evening and used a night-vision drone to locate the stranded people and animals.
The PAC flood company, police, administrative teams and local boatmen then carried out the rescue operation, the statement said, adding that there was no loss of life.
In Varanasi, the Ganga crossed the warning level of 70.26 metres and was recorded at 70.68 metres on Friday morning, according to the Central Water Commission.
The rising water has inundated the Manikarnika and Harishchandra ghats, disrupting cremations. The administration has said 13 flood-relief camps are housing 935 people from 219 affected families, with food, drinking water, bedding and medical facilities being provided.
In Ballia, 48 villages have been affected as the Ganga and Ghaghra rivers continue to flow above their respective danger levels, District Magistrate Mangla Prasad Singh said.
"We are continuously monitoring the situation," he said. The rising Ganga has also put pressure on National Highway-31 in parts of the district, while several thousand acres of farmland have been inundated, damaging standing kharif crops.
In Mahoba, around 3,000 cusecs of water per second is being released from the Urmil and Kyaolari dams after they began overflowing amid rising water levels.
The release could affect nine villages in Mahoba and six in neighbouring Jhansi, irrigation department officials said.
"We are making announcements and appealing to people to stay away from rivers, drains and canals. Our effort is to ensure that no untoward incident occurs," Rajesh Singh, assistant engineer, irrigation department, told PTI Videos.
In Chandauli, District Magistrate Chandra Mohan Garg visited the flood-affected Churmuli village and reviewed the relief measures.
He directed officials to provide food, ration kits, drinking water and medicines, while ordering a prompt assessment of the damage to crops, houses and livestock for timely compensation. Health and veterinary teams were also directed to regularly visit the affected areas and undertake preventive measures.