Rivers continue to swell in UP, toll reaches 191

Lucknow, Aug 17 (UNI) Even as prominent rivers continued to swell, the toll due to rain-triggered incidents today mounted to 191, following the deaths of three more people.

According to information available in the last 24 hrs, the fresh casualties were reported from Moradabad, Sitapur and Jyotiba Phulenagar districts.

Monsoon is bursting with all fury in neighbouring Nepal and Uttarakhand, owing to which, major rivers, including Ghaghra, Sharda, Rapti, Budhi Rapti, Gandhak and Kuano have started swelling once again in the 22 flood-hit UP districts, forcing migration of people to safer places.

Due to release of 90,000 cusec water in Ganga from Hardwar, a red alert had been sounded in several villages of Jyotiba Phulenagar.

A report from Bareilly said due to incessant downpour in the hilly areas and also release of thousands of cusecs water from Uttarakhand, situation had started worsening in Pilibhit, Rampur and Lakhimpur Kheri.

Following release of water from Naraura Dam, Ganga is about to breach the red mark at several places, while Ramganga has changed its course towards farms.

Sharda is overflowing at several places, while flood threat haunts Rampur due to continuous soil erosion in Kosi river.

The heavy rainfall has also posed threat to Dadiyal Dam.

In Sitapur, the rescue and relief operation is in on with full swing. Life saving boats had been pressed into service.

However, slight difficulty is being faced as PAC personnel in the flood hit districts had already left after the flood situation improved earlier.

Standing crop over lakhs of hectares of land had been destroyed by Rapti river in Gorakhpur, Ghaghra in Barabanki and Gonda, Sharda in Lakimpur Kheri/Pilibhit and Kuano in Chandradeep Ghat.

Hundreds of villages were reported inundated in Gonda, Basti, Gorakhpur and Lakhimpur Kheri.

The release of water from Ramnagar dam swelled Kosi river, washing away several villages.

According to the Central Water Commission, turbulent Ghagra was overflowing by 67 cms in Elgin Bridge and showing a steady rise.

Sharda in Paliakalan was flowing 69 cms above the danger mark, while Rapti was also rising continuously at Balrampur.

UNI