Schools, colleges in Uttar Pradesh to remain shut on Friday, Saturday in view of heavy rains

Lucknow (UP), Sep 16: The Uttar Pradesh government on Thursday announced to close all schools, colleges and other educational institutions for two days in the state, following incessant rains since the past 24 hours.

According to an official order, the decision will be effective for September 17 and September 18. The decision has been taken in view of the safety of students since several areas and roads are heavily water-logged.

Meanwhile, twelve people were killed in incidents of house and wall collapse in Fatehpur, Pratapgarh, Kaushambi, Jaunpur and Barabanki districts of Uttar Pradesh due to heavy rains, police said on Thursday.

According to meteorological department, Pratapgarh and Ayodhya received 20 cm rainfall in the last 24 hours. The heavy downpour resulted in waterlogging at several places and caused inconvenience to people.

In Fatehpur district, two people were buried under the rubble of their ''kutcha'' house after it collapsed in Mohammadpur Gaunti late on Wednesday night, police said.

Tiya (18) and her sister Muskaan (3), daughters of Rakesh Lodhi, died on the spot, SHO of Sultanpur Ghosh Police Station Arvind Kumar Gautam said.

In another incident in the district, a couple and their daughter Komal (2) were sleeping when their ''kutcha'' house collapsed in Mardaha village on Wednesday night, SHO Kalyanpur Police Station, Amit Kumar Mishra said.

The neighbours rushed to their rescue, but could not save the girl, the SHO said, adding that the couple sustained injuries and was admitted to a government hospital.

In Pratapgarh district''s Gode village under Kotwali Police Station area, one person was killed and three others injured when the wall of a house collapsed while they were sleeping.

Inspector-in-charge of the police station, Ravindra Rai said Ramzan (18) died in the incident, while his sister and her two children were injured and admitted to a hospital.

In a similar incident in Gahrichak village under Kandhai Police Station area, Urmila Misra (55) died when her ''kutcha'' house collapsed due to rains, Inspector Neeraj Walia said.

In Kaushambi, a woman was killed and her husband injured when their house in Birner village in Sarai Akeel area collapsed due to heavy rains on Wednesday evening. While Murdi Devi (62) died during treatment, condition of her husband Prem Narain (65) was stated to be stable, police said.

In Barabanki, a father-son duo were killed on Wednesday night after wall of their house in Bayasagpur in Asandra area fell on them, police said.

Their bodies were taken out from the debris Thursday morning when the villagers came to know about it.

Those died were identified as Arvind Kumar Yadav (40) and his son Arvind (8), who were sleeping when the incident took place, they said.

In Jaunpur, four people, including three of family, were killed and three others injured in separate incidents of house collapse.

The first incident took place in Sujanganj area, where Bharat Lal Jaiswal (38), his wife Gulaba Devi (34), daughter Sakshi (10) were killed and three others injured when their ''kutcha house'' collapsed at around 4 am.

In similar incident in Sikarara area on Wednesday, Urmila Devi (47) were killed.

In the state capital, waterlogging was reported from several places due to heavy rainfall since Wednesday night. Rainwater entered the office of Lucknow Municipal Corporation and trees fell at various places while some roads caved in too.

Taking note of the heavy rainfall, District Magistrate, Lucknow Abhishek Prakash has advised people to remain indoors and avoid going out.

He also asked people to remain cautious about open sewer, electricity wires and poles, and inform integrated control centre in case of waterlogging, felling of trees and power breakdown.

According to the MeT office, in the last 24 hours, Fursatganj received 19 cm rainfall, followed by Kunda (Pratapgarh), Chitrakoot, Basti, and Rae Bareli received (17 cm each), Mirzapur (15 cm), Gauriganj (Amethi), Bindki (Fatehpur), Prayagraj Sadar (13 cm each), Lucknow and Sultanpur (12 cm each), Sant Ravidas Nagar, Musafir Khana (Amethi), Sambhal, and Ayodhya (11 cm each).