12 die in flood-related incidents

At least 12 more people died of flood and rain related incidents in UP in last 24 hours as the flood situation continues to be grim with several rivers flowing above the danger level and inundating around 1000 villages in 12 districts.

Heavy rainfall in the catchment areas is a matter of concern for the authorities as almost all the rivers passing through
UP have a rising trend. Death toll in the recent floods and rains in the state has risen to 138 with 12 more deaths, reported during the past 24 hours.

According to Relief Commissioner's office, four lives were lost in Sant Kabirnagar, seven others were killed
in Saharanpur districts in rain-related incidents. The floods have affected around one million people in 47 tehsils of 12 districts in the state and the water inundated more than 1000 villages in these districts. A report from Barabanki said due to paucity of boats, rescue work has been hampered affecting 150 villages.

In Gonda, the flood waters have entered in around one lakh hectares of agricultural land and around one lakh people
have been displaced. A report from Sitapur said 32 villages have been marooned out of the total 68 villagers affected by floods. In lakhimpur Kheri, one lakh people in 134 villages have been affected. Central flood control office said the Ghagra river was
flowing above danger level at Elgin Bridge in Barabanki district. The water was about one meter above the red mark. The river was also flowing above the danger level at Ayodhya and Ballia and was still rising. The Sharda river was flowing above the red mark at Palia Kala and Shardanagar in lakhimpur Kheri district and continued to rise. The Ganga was flowing just near the danger level at Fatehgarh and was rising all along its course in the state. The river was near the red mark at Kanpur Dehat.

Similarly Yamuna river was approaching the danger level at  Mathura. The Rapti river has neared the danger-level at Bahriach,
Shavasti, Balrampur, Siddharthangar and Gorakhpur and was rising all through its course. Burhi Rapti river was
above the danger level at Sidharthnagar while Kwano river was near the red level at Gonda, Basti and Sant Kabirnagar.

The flood control official maintained that rest of the rivers in the state were flowing below the danger level and were
on rising trend due to heavy rainfall in the catchment areas. The weather office here said the highest rainfall during the past 24 hours was recorded at Basti 52 mm, followed by 30 mm in Sidharthangar and 22.8 mm in Gorakhpur. The met people have predicted heavy rainfall in eastern UP along with scattered rains in other parts of the state during
the next 24 hours.