Heavy rain that lashed the city during the last 24 hours, left many areas waterlogged. It not only caused a rising trend in the water level of rivers Ganga and Gomti but also brought cheers on the faces of paddy growers in this belt of Purvanchal (eastern UP), known as ‘Rice Bowl’.
Till 8 am on Friday, Varanasi received 67 mm rain while there was also moderate to heavy rain in several nearby districts as Chunar in Mirzapur received 100 mm rain, Jaunpur 70 mm, Narayanpur in Mirzapur 61.5 mm. Azamgarh 49 mm, Prayagraj 24.4 mm, Ballia 18.2 mm and Mirzapur 14 mm, according to the report of Middle Ganga Division-III of Central Water Commission (CWC). The report also indicates that though the water level of river Ganga is still far below than the warning level, the monsoon that lashed this region caused the river Ganga to increase in water level. Though the river Ganga was steady in upstream Phaphamau in Prayagraj district, it started rising since the Sangam (confluence of rivers Ganga, Yamuna and invisible Saraswati) and the same trend of rising was witnessed in Mirzapur, Varanasi and Ghazipur. However, it was steady at downstream Ballia.
In Varanasi, the water level of Ganga was recorded at 59.06 metres against the warning level of 70.262 metres at 8 am and it was rising at a speed of 30 mm per hour. Not only Ganga, but Gomti also recorded rising at Jaunpur. Due to late arrival of monsoon, the paddy growers of this region were waiting for rain anxiously so that they can start sowing nursery. The rain that hit the region during the last one day may help many of them do the same. However, in the city areas, it not only paralysed the normal life but also caused waterlogging in many main markets and localities, exposing all the tall claims of Nagar Nigam that the major drains have been desilted. Due to waterlogging in many main markets, including Godowlia, Dashashwamedh, Nai Sarak, Luxa and others, the movement of the people was restricted. At Andhapul several two-wheelers and three-wheelers were stranded and movement of vehicles was slowed down. In several other places, including Teliabagh, Ravindrapuri Colony, Khojwa, Nawabganj and Mahmoorganj in the city areas saw waterlogging.