Flood threat looms large at UP; Siddhiqui takes aerial supervision

Lucknow, Jun 26 (UNI) Flood threat continued to worry the district administration as water of various rivers was speedily reaching several districts in the state.

Taking seriously the possible disaster, UP Irrigation Minister Nassimuddin Siddhiqui today took aerial supervision of the affected districts in eastern UP and instructed the district administration to speed up the relief and repair work.

According to Met department, in the last 24 hours, several districts in the state received intense rainfall, including Bareilly which recorded 6 cm of rainfall, Dabri 3, Neemsar and Chillaghat 2 cm each, whereas Rigauli and Gumtiya received 1 cm each.

In the next 24 hours, weathermen forcasts light to moderate rainfall in most of the districts, however, predicts heavy rainfall at isolated places in the next 48 hours.

Meanwhile, Water Commission reports have confirmed that several rivers, including Ganga, Yamuna, Sharda, Ghaghra, Rapti, Gomti, Ramganga and Ganghak, were swelling at high pace, however, so far they were flowing below the danger mark.

The level of water was increasing in Ganga and Yamuna rivers, as a result the stairs at various ghats in Varanasi were submerged, official reports said. Besides, various ''chowkis'' at the pious Sangam in Allahabad were reportedly washed away.

The copious rainfall also continued to play its havoc in Lakhimpur Kheri, where it had destroyed several hectares of agricultural land and affected several villages in Paliyakala and Nighasan Tehsil, forcing the villagers to migrate at safer places.

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