The state government has issued a high alert in half a dozen districts in view of heavy rains during next 48 hours. Though the government has alerted all the 75 districts in the state yet District Magistrates of six districts, including Barabanki, Bahraich, Gonda, lakhimpur and lucknow, have been asked to be more alert. This was stated by state relief commissioner Sanjay Kumar on Tuesday. He confirmed that 18 people had died in rain-related incidents in seven districts during the past 24 hours while 15 others were also reported to be injured.
According to reports, three people were killed each in Gonda and Kushinagar districts, two each in Bijnor and Mirzapur and one person each died in Bahraich, Sitapur, Meerut, Unnao, Auraiya, Sultanpur, Jaunpur and Etah districts. More than 250 people have lost their lives in the state due to rains and floods this season. In this period, as many as 226 houses/huts were damaged and three heads of cattle died.
Met department has also issued alert of heavy rains till September 6 in six districts of the state. Meanwhile, state Flood Control department has issued alert over the rising level of rivers passing through the state. Ganga, Yamuna, Ghagra, Rapti, Sharda, Saryu, along with other rivers, are flowing above the danger level at different places submerging low-lying areas.
Meanwhile, light to moderate rains and thundershowers were reported on Tuesday morning at most places in eastern Uttar Pradesh. Najibabad (Bijnor) recorded 10 cm rainfall, followed by Bikapur, Gautam Budh Nagar (9 cm each); Unnao, Musafirkhana and Ayodhya (8 cm each); Akbarpur, Jaunpur, Churk, Gyanpur, Meerut and Sambhal (7 cm each).