The flood situation has worsened in Uttar Pradesh following the heavy rain and release of water from the Banbasa barrage in Nepal that has flooded all the major rivers, throwing the lives of people living near the banks out of gear.
The death toll in the flood and rain-related incidents in the State has risen to 118 with two more deaths reported during the past 24 hours. The floods have affected around one million people in 47 tehsils of 12 districts of the State and have inundated more than 800 villages.
Reports received from Gonda and Barabanki said that due to heavy rain and release of water from the Banbasa barrage in Nepal, the Ghagra and the Saryu rivers have inundated around 300 villages in both the districts. The flood water has inundated around one lakh hectare agricultural land. According to a rough estmate, over 10 lakh people have been displaced from their homes. In Bahraich and Siddharth-nagar also, the flood situation has deteriorated due to heavy rain during the past 24 hours. In lakhimpur Kheri, one lakh people of 134 villages have been affected while in Sitapur, 1.19 lakh people have been displaced in 32 villages.
The Central Flood Control office said the Ghagra river was flowing above the danger mark at the Elgin Bridge in Baraba-nki district. The river was flowing above the danger mark in Ayodhya and Ballia.The Sharda river was flowing above the red mark at Palia Kalan in lakhimpur Kheri district. The river Ganga was flowing close to the danger mark at Fatehgarh and was rising all along its course in the State.
The Rapti was also touching the danger mark at Bahriach, Shravasti, Balrampur, Siddharth-nagar and Gorakhpur and was rising all along its course.