Lucknow, Sep 2 (PTI) Three people, including an 18-month-old boy, died in rain-related incidents in Uttar Pradesh on Wednesday even as the state government said it has evacuated 1,528 people from flood-affected areas and deployed hundreds of boats, flood posts and medical teams for relief operations.
In a statement, the government said 32 districts have been affected by floods so far, with the situation currently prevailing in 22 districts. A total of 742 flood posts, 452 boats and motorboats and 225 medical teams were active on Tuesday, while 2,460 people were staying in 105 relief shelters.
It said Ayodhya, Azamgarh, Ballia, Barabanki, Badaun, Chandauli, Chitrakoot, Farrukhabad, Ghazipur, Gorakhpur, Hapur, Hardoi, Kasganj, Lakhimpur Kheri, Mirzapur, Moradabad, Prayagraj, Sant Kabir Nagar, Shahjahanpur, Sitapur, Unnao and Varanasi were impacted by floods.
In Pratapgarh, 18-month-old Priyansh died after being trapped under debris when a kutcha house collapsed amid continuous rain in Chhoti Kothariya village, police said.
In Amroha’s Gajraula, two people — Shera (32) and Suresh (55) — were killed after the roof projection of a shop collapsed during heavy rain.
Sub-Divisional Magistrate Shailesh Dubey said the cause was being investigated to determine whether the structure collapsed due to rain or its dilapidated condition.
In Chitrakoot, authorities rescued around 150 people trapped by a sudden swelling of Mandakini river in Chaura village.
The 42nd Battalion PAC’s flood-relief platoon, with support from local administration, used motorboats to rescue those trapped. Food, relief material and medical assistance were also provided to the affected.
Ballia remained among the worst affected districts, with rising Ganga and Saryu waters affecting around 20,500 people in villages and urban localities of Sadar, Bairia and Bansdih tehsils. Eighty-three boats are being operated for relief and rescue.
The district administration has distributed 6,500 ration kits, 33,843 medicine kits and 83,092 packets of cooked food. It has also vaccinated 16,629 livestock and distributed 965 quintals of fodder. Flood shelters and community kitchens are functioning at Gopalnagar Tadi and Bhojpurwa.
Flood posts are active, and National Disaster Response Force and Provincial Armed Constabulary teams have been deployed. Officials and medical teams are visiting affected areas daily, while generators are being used to maintain electricity supply where required.
In Pilibhit, the flood threat intensified as the Sharda, Deoha and Khakra rivers rose following heavy rain and release of water from barrages. More than 2 lakh cusecs of water was released into the Sharda from Banbasa barrage, while over 30,000 cusecs was released into the Deoha from Nanak Sagar dam.
District Magistrate Gyanendra Singh ordered closure of Classes 1 to 8 in all schools until the situation normalises. A bridge on the Khakra river was submerged, snapping road connectivity to around 18 villages. Residents in low-lying areas were advised to move to safer places.
At Pilibhit Medical College, the main power supply to the 200-bed hospital remained disrupted for over 34 hours after rainwater entered an underground cable box, forcing the hospital to run on generators for essential services.
In Lakhimpur Kheri, District Magistrate Anjani Kumar Singh inspected anti-flood and erosion works at the Girija barrage afflux bund, where erosion by the Mohana river has intensified. He directed engineers to work round the clock and ordered the safe relocation of residents of about a dozen houses in the submerged zone.
“The safety of villagers is the administration’s top priority,” Singh said, directing officials to shift people immediately if the situation worsened.
At Palia, the Sharda river was flowing 35 cm above its danger mark of 154.59 metres but remained steady on Wednesday afternoon, Sub-Divisional Magistrate Pushpak said.
Agricultural land and village corridors along the riverbanks were inundated, though no village has been reported flooded so far.
Across the state, the government distributed 1,640 flood-relief foodgrain packets, 16,190 lunch packets, over 18,000 chlorine packets, more than 7,000 ORS packets and 310 quintals of fodder on Tuesday.
According to the Ghaziabad district administration, the Met department has issued a yellow alert for heavy rain and lightning till September 4. It advised residents to avoid unnecessary travel, stay away from dilapidated structures, trees and electrical installations, and keep children and elderly persons indoors during severe weather.
It also advised farmers to avoid fields during heavy rain or hailstorms and said medical assistance was available through helplines 108 and 102.
Authorities said relief and rescue operations were being continuously monitored, with people in vulnerable areas being shifted to shelters wherever necessary. PTI COR KIS RUK RUK
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