Uttar Pradesh floods: Death toll rises to 103; NDRF, air force personnel deployed for rescue operations

Lucknow: The flood fury in Uttar Pradesh showed no signs of abatement as one more death was reported today, taking the toll to 103, while over 27 lakh people are affected. [caption id=“attachment_3935711” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] Representational image. Reuters[/caption] Citing a report compiled until Tuesday, the relief commissioner’s office in Lucknow said around 60,000 people have taken shelter in relief camps in the affected districts of eastern Uttar Pradesh as raging waters of rivers emanating from Nepal caused havoc in vast swathes of land. “The death toll in the floods has reached 103 in the state, where 3,133 villages in 24 districts are inundated affecting over 27 lakh,” it said. Army choppers, NDRF and PAC (flood) personnel continued relief and rescue operations round the clock in the severely affected areas of the flood-hit districts of the state. Release of water in rivers emanating from Nepal and incessant rains impeded rescue work, they said. Twenty-eight companies of the NDRF, 32 companies of PAC (flood) along with two choppers of the Indian Air Force (IAF) and several army personnel were working round the clock to save lives and properties in the affected areas. A Central Water Commission report here said the Sharda river was flowing above the red mark at Palia Kalan and near the danger mark at Shardanagar while the Ghaghra river was flowing above the red mark at Ayodhya and Turtipar in Ballia. The Rapti river was flowing well above the red mark at Rigauli and Birdghat in Gorakhpur, while the Quano river was flowing above the danger mark at Chandradeep Ghat in Gonda, it said.