UP toll touches 193, no let up in flood situation in Bihar, Assam

New Delhi, Aug 18 (UNI) The death toll in Uttar Pradesh has risen to 193, while flood situation in Bihar continued to remain grim, after rivers in the state crossed safety levels due to water released from Uttarakhand and Nepal due to incessant rains there.

The Gorakhpur-Sonauli national highway remained blocked for the fourth consecutive day today.

About 31 districts and two villages were inundated and marooned in Basti. Ghaghra was flowing above the danger mark in the district.

The worsening situation of Ramganga, Behgul, Sharda and Kosi rivers had affected Shahjahanpur, Badaun and Bareilly districts.

Thousands of hectares of land had also been affected by the flood in the 22 districts.

In Assam, two children were drowned due to flash floods at Baghorbeel in Barpeta yesterday. Heavy rainfall in the Bhutan hills had triggered severe flash floods in lower parts of the state, prompting the authorities to clamp section 144 on the National Highway Number 31. Heavy flow of water from the Bhutan hills to parts of lower Assam had caused a breach in the Narayanguri embankment at Baska.

The excess flow of water from Bhutan had led to rise in the water levels of Brahmaputra, Manah, Beki and Puthimari rivers at various places in lower Assam. Over 100 villages in Barpeta and Baska districts were affected by the flash floods.

In the Bhembari area in Barpeta, over 40,000 people had been severely hit even as many were being shifted to relief camps.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, meanwhile, assured immediate succour to Assam while talking to a ten-member delegation of the State Unit of the Congress Parliamentary Party. He said he would sanction funds and all other possible help as soon as he received a Requirement Report from the State Chief Minister.

A similar ''positive reponse'' was given by Dr Singh when the delegation urged the Prime Minister to take up river-protection works on the Brahmaputra.

The Valmiki Nagar barrage in Bihar released three lakh cusecs water in river Gandak during the past 24 hours following which the fresh areas of West Champaran district were inundated. The flood water was flowing over National Highway 28 B following which the communication between Bettiah and Bagaha in West Champaran district were snapped. The situation in Madhubani and Piprasi blocks continued to remain grim as more than 300 villages in these blocks were under the spate of flood fury.

According to Central Water Commission, all major rivers of the state were flowing above the red mark and the torential rains in the catchment areas during the past 24 hours have further deteriorated the flood situation.

In Uttarakhand, a 17-year-old boy was swept away in river Yamuna, taking the death toll in the state to 46. Heavy rains and landslides have disrupted life and damaged agricultural land and property.

A low pressure area has formed over north Bay of Bengal, adjoining West Bengal and Bangladesh this morning. Strong surface winds with speed reaching 45-55 kmph from the south-westerly direction were likely along and off Coastal Andhra Pradesh during the next 24 hours.

The Orissa government also geared up its machinery to face any eventuality following the low pressure formed about 300 km off the Orissa Coast. This is the fifth low pressure to hit the state after the onset of monsoon this year.

Special Relief Commissioner Nikunja Kishore Sundarray said the low pressure is likely to create a situation similar to one in the first week of July when property worth lakhs of rupees were damaged and a number of people died following a flood caused due to heavy rain in the wake of a low pressure in north Orissa.

Sultry weather conditions persisted in the plains in north-west India as monsoon rain eluded most parts of the region.

Except for Balachour and Nangal Dam areas, which were lashed by moderate rain overnight, Punjab region had no rainfall activity.

Haryana, too, had no rainfall even as Ambala reported traces of rainfall. Hot and humid conditions persisted in Chandigarh and its adjoining areas following showers in the night and in the morning.

Himachal Pradesh, too, had respite from wet conditions overnight.

In Delhi, the mercury recorded at 36.6 degree Celsius, three degrees above normal, providing no respite from heat and humidity.

UNI