56 dead in UP floods in 3 days

LUCKNOW, Sept 27:

Fifty-six people were killed in rain-and storm-related incidents in Uttar Pradesh since Friday, while several districts were grappling with a flood-like situation after an intense three-day wet spell, officials said.

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The depression over the state weakened into a well-marked low pressure area on Sunday, bringing some respite from rainfall, they said.

Rescue teams were conducting operations in waterlogged areas to evacuate stranded people to safer locations, the relief department said, as strong winds and heavy downpour uprooted trees and electric poles and inundated roads and villages, damaging over one thousand houses and standing crops.

The state received 45.1 mm rainfall in the 24 hours ending Sunday, against the normal 1.8 mm, officials said.

According to data shared by the office of the relief commissioner, between September 25 and the morning of September 27, 56 people had died and 46 were injured in rain and storm-related incidents in the state.

The highest number of deaths during the 60-hour period were reported from Sitapur (7), followed by Lakhimpur Kheri, Bahraich and Balrampur (5 each), and Ayodhya and Gorakhpur (4 each). The official said 1,021 houses were damaged.

The Central Water Commission (CWC), in its Daily Water Level Bulletin, said the Ghagra and Rapti rivers were showing rising trends at several monitoring stations, posing a flood threat to low-lying areas.

At Elginbridge in Barabanki, the Ghagra was flowing at 106.14 metres at 8 am, above its danger level of 106.07 metres. The water level is likely to rise further to 106.55 metres by Sunday night.

In Ayodhya, the river water level stood at 92.39 metres against the warning level of 91.73 metres and was forecast to rise to 92.85 metres.

The Rapti was also rising sharply in eastern Uttar Pradesh. At Balrampur, the river water level was stated to be at 104 metres against its warning level of 103.62 metres and was likely to rise further by Sunday evening.

Widespread rainfall was recorded in the river basins during the 24 hours ending 8.30 am on Sunday, the CWC said. (PTI)