Ghagra, Sharda rivers cross danger level in UP

Lucknow, Jul 5 (UNI) Incessant rainfall in Uttar Pradesh has not only thrown normal life out of gear in several districts, but also led to the overflowing of turbulent Ghagra and Sharda rivers.

Ghagra, known as Saryu in Ayodhya, was flowing 13 cm above the red mark, while river Sharda in Paliyakal of Lakhimpur Kheri was two cm above the danger point, Central Water Commission (CWC) reports said.

All other rivers were flowing near, but below the danger mark, the CWC added.

Ghagra in Elginbridge (Barabanki) was 26 cm below the mark, while in Turtipar it was 39 cm below. Kwano and Budhi Rapti were also under control now.

According to reports from Basti, as many as 15,000 denizens were affected from Ghagra river.

Talking to UNI, District Magistrate Roshan Jaicob said Gahgra was increasing at a rate of half cm per hour. The district administration has already pressed in service 20 boats for rescue and relief operations.

Besides, 38 chowkis and 17 shelters have been made.

In Pratapgarh, basic education officials have asked the principals not to take classes in dilapidated buildings.

Meanwhile, the situation has worsened in Gonda district, where deluge has started playing havoc in Tarabganj and Colonelganj tehsils.

Altogether, 10 dams in Poorvanchal were facing threat from swelling, Gandhak, Budhi and Rapti rivers.

The heavy downpour continued to cause delay in movement of trains and pose problem to the road travellers.

Excessive water-logging has damaged many roads and resulted in pot-holes.

The Meteorological department said Kanpur recorded 26 cm rainfall, followed by Mirzapur 12 cm, Chhilaghat (Banda) eight cm, Jaunpur, Lucknow and Etawah seven cm, Bareilly five cm, Ayodhya and Chandradeepghat (Gorakhpur) four cm each.

The weatherman forecast rain likely to lash many places in the state in the next 24 hours, whereas heavy rainfall likely or might likely to occur at many places in the next 24 hours.

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