Monsoon mayhem: Villages flooded in UP; women, children rescued

Lucknow, Jul 7 (PTI) At least 12 women working in a field and their children were rescued from floodwaters in Uttar Pradesh's Shravasti district amid a rise in water levels in many rivers at several places as the monsoon gathered pace in the state, an official report said on Sunday.

With the monsoon becoming fully active and causing heavy rain, water levels of several rivers have begun rising in many areas of Kushinagar, Balrampur and Shravasti districts, triggering floods and flood-like situations.

According to a report from the Relief Commissioner's Office, the water level of the Gandak River in Kushinagar crossed the danger mark, flooding 13 villages in the Khadda tehsil.

It said 66 people were trapped by floodwaters on an island in the district's Narayanpur area. Of them, 62 people were rescued, and an operation was underway to bring the remaining four to safety.

The Rapti River crossed the danger mark in Shravasti, affecting 18 villages.

Meanwhile, the UP government in a statement said that it had successfully rescued 87 people trapped in floods in Shravasti and Kushinagar districts in the state caused by the sudden release of over five lakh cusecs of water following heavy rains in Nepal.

The rescued included 76 persons in Kushinagar and 11 in Shravasti.

During this operation, 400 villagers stranded in 18 villages of Shravasti were moved to safer places while 20 cattle trapped in the Kushinagar floods were also rescued, the UP government said in a statement on Sunday.

A team of the National Disaster Response Force and two of the Provincial Armed Constabulary (PAC) are deployed in the flood-affected areas. Nineteen flood posts have been set up in the district, and the level in the Rapti barrage is being continuously monitored, it said.

The report said the operation to rescue the 12 women labourers and their children from a flood-hit Shravasti village began late on Saturday and was completed at 3 am.

The Rapti river has crossed the danger mark in Balrampur as well, leading to floods.

Teams of the State Disaster Response Force and the Flood PAC are deployed for relief in the affected areas. Thirty-two medical teams have also been formed, the report said.

Heavy rain is likely in Gorakhpur, Bahraich, Gonda, Basti, Sant Kabir Nagar, Maharajganj, Balrampur, Shravasti, Lakhimpur and other districts, the Met office has predicted.

Yogi Adityanath has instructed the District Magistrates of flood-affected Shravasti and Kushinagar districts to conduct a survey of the damaged crops and submit a report to the government within 24 hours.

He also ordered government-level officials to provide immediate compensation upon receiving the survey report. While the situation in these districts is currently under control, crop damage has been reported in some areas.

Adityanath also directed that the danger of waterlogging due to excessive rainfall should be resolved immediately. Flood-affected families were shifted to safe places and camps, and relief material should be restored and distributed, the UP chief minister directed.

He also observed that some areas of certain districts have been affected by floods, and crops have been damaged. In all such flood-affected districts, teams of the Revenue and Agriculture Department should conduct a thorough survey and assess the crop damage so that affected farmers can be compensated.

In cases of loss of life due to lightning or other natural calamity, the permissible relief amount of Rs 4 lakh is paid within 24 hours. It should be distributed to the affected families through local public representatives.

NDRF, SDRF/PAC flood units should be deployed as per requirement for relief and rescue work in all flood-affected areas. The disaster control room should be kept operational 24 hours a day, the UP chief minister directed.

The embankments should be inspected and monitored through continuous patrolling, he said and added that adequate arrangements for animal fodder should be made in flood-affected areas.

In view of the possible flood the District Magistrate of Varanasi on Sunday inspected the Primary School Saraiya, Deepti Convent School Hukulganj and Primary School Dhelwariya, which have been identified as flood relief camps in the district.

He visited the flood-affected areas of the district and spoke to the local corporators and residents to know the problems faced by the people during the flood and directed the concerned officer to ensure that the people did not face any shortage of anything during the flood and all basic facilities should be made available.

Meanwhile, due to heavy rainfall in Nepal, river Sharda in Lakhimpur Kheri district witnessed heavy water discharge on Sunday. The immediately affected 45 villagers of Azadnagar village in Palia Tehsil were successfully shifted to safer and higher areas in the adjacent village of Srinagar.

After persuasion, the villagers agreed to come on the six boats sent with trained boatmen. Women and children were evacuated first, followed by men and animals. Lunch packets, fruits, and biscuits were given to all the rescued persons. Medical assistance was provided to the villagers, the Relief Commissioner's office said in a statement. PTI