UP: Govt issues flood warning for River Rapti; gets ready for evacuation

Lucknow/New Delhi: Rising water levels in the rivers of Uttar Pradesh has wreaked havoc in different parts of the state even as the Centre issued an “unprecedented flood situation” warning for the Rapti, which is flowing above the danger mark. According to reports, 10 persons have died in the last 24 hours in flood-related incidents in the state with four deaths occurring in Bahraich where among the victims were two siblings. In addition to Rapti, water levels have also risen in the Ghaghra and Saryu rivers. [caption id=“attachment_1651257” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  Representational image. AFP[/caption] Rising water levels has hit road and rail traffic and Shashtra Seema Bal and PAC jawans have been deployed to evacuate people affected by the floods. In New Delhi, the Ministry of Water Resources said in a statement that the Rapti in Balrampur district of UP was flowing at 104.62m – 0.63m above danger mark. The record for water level in the river was 105.25m on September 11, 2000. According to a Central Water Commission report, after rising menacingly in Kakardhari and Bhinga yesterday, the Rapti has crossed the maximum level in Balrampur and is still rising. The Ghaghra is still flowing near danger level at Elgin Bridge in Ayodhya while the Sharda at Paliakalan and the Ghaghra at Ayodhya were flowing above the danger mark. According to reports in Bahraich, floods in the Bhada, Kaudiyala and Gerua rivers in Nepal led to a rise in the water levels of the Ghaghra and Saryu in Bahraich and Rapti in Shravasti yesterday. Three persons were killed in Shravasti in drowning and wall collapse incidents, official sources said. Two deaths were also reported in Lakhimpur. Around 250 houses collapsed in Nanpara and Mahsi tehsils of Bahraich, where 2.5 lakh people in 546 hamlets of 103 villages have been affected by the floods. Relief and rescue operations were launched by a 42-member NDRF team after it arrived last evening. Meanwhile, expressing concern over the flood situation in UP, Bihar and Assam, BJP President Amit Shah has asked the party’s MPs, leaders and workers in these states to contribute in flood relief measures. Shah has talked to the BJP units in these states and asked them to immediately start flood relief work. He also extended condolences to the families of those who have lost their lives in the floods. According to a report from Balrampur, all three tehsils of the district – Tulsipur, Balrampur, Utraula – have been affected by the floods. The Balrampur-Badni National Highway is inundated and has been closed. Additional district magistrate Keshav Das said that SSB and PAC personnel have been deployed for relief and rescue work, for which four steamers are being used. A report from Lakhimpur says that around 60 villages in Dharaura tehsil have been marooned with the locals having taken shelter in a school in Manjha Sumali village. Tehsildar Ashok Kumar Yadav said that an NDRF team has been deployed for relief work. The National Crisis Management Committee (NCMC) under the chairmanship of Cabinet Secretary Ajit Seth had on Friday taken stock of the government’s preparedness in the wake of floods in Nepal. NDRF teams have also been kept ready for rescue operations in Nepal, if required. The flood situation in Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and the recent heavy rainfall and cloudburst in Uttarakhand was also reviewed by NCMC with the state governments. PTI