Flood havoc looms large on UP districts

Lucknow, Jun 19 (UNI) Even as agricultural are considering torrential rainfall received by Uttar Pradesh during the ongoing monsoon season as ''good'' for Kharif crop, the heavy rains have started playing havoc in hundreds of districts in the state.

The rising water level of rivers due to incessant rainfall was becoming alarming for several districts in the state. In Sant Kabirnagar district, the Rampur-Makdoompur dam was facing threat from swelling Ghaghra river.

The south-west monsoon showers may have relieved people from sweltering weather, but the rain-triggered incidents have taken the death count to 23 so far in UP.

In the last 24 hrs, three people were reported to have lost their lives in Agra, while two people died in Mainpuri. One each died in Bareilly and Badaun.

In Agra, a brother-sister duo, came under the contact of live wire that broke due to continuous rainfall in Etmaddaula area.

Another incident was reported from Lohamandi area, where a woman was electrocuted due to leakage in current.

In Badaun, one person was burried alive after a dilapidated wall collapsed.

According to Central Water Commission (CWC), several big and small rivers, including Ramganga, Yamuna, Gomti, Sai, Saryu, Sharda, Kwano, Rapti and Gandhak have started swelling.

However, in Ayodhya, Ghaghra was flowing 74 cm below the danger mark, while river Sharda in Paliyakala was 58 cm below the danger level, the CWC informed.

According to weatherman, monsoon was currently active in eastern UP and moderate to rather heavy rainfall occurred at most places in the state.

Jhansi recorded the highest rainfall at 12 cm, followed by Banda 6 cm, Bansi 3 cm. Deoaria, Ballia and Ayodhya witnessed 2 cm of rainfall each.

Traffic snarls and water-logging continued to be a part of adverse effects of rainfall, creating problem for the office goers.

According to official sources, efforts were underway to save Lumbani-Buddhi route from getting affected by Rapti river in Siddharthnagar district.

The rising water level in Gahghra river has thrown normal life out of gear in several villages of Basti and Sant Kabirnagar.

In Gorakhpur, rains have affected thousands of acres of farmland and destroyed watermelon production.

Reports from Gonda say that flood havoc was looming large on as many as 100 villages in the district.

Besides affecting road routes, the rainfall has started hitting rail route and delayed several trains for hours.

Meanwhile, the meteorological department has forecast moderate to rather heavy rainfall for most places of all the divisions in the state.

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