Continuous rainfall has thrown life out of gear across Uttar Pradesh, with 18 districts facing flood-like conditions. According to official figures, 774 houses have collapsed so far, while rising rivers have forced thousands of families to lock up their homes and flee.
In Prayagraj, the swelling Ganga and Yamuna have brought misery to residents. More than 5,000 houses in low-lying areas are deserted, their doors bolted. Water has risen to the first floor in many homes. Families are struggling not only for food but also for drinking water. Power supply has been cut in several areas due to fear of electrocution. Children are unable to attend schools, and residents are seen leading their cattle to higher ground, often tying them along roadside stretches five or six kilometres away from their homes.
As floodwaters spread, wild creatures too are entering human settlements. In Maharajganj’s Mohanapur village, panic broke when a cobra appeared in a residential lane. Villagers immediately alerted the forest department, which caught the snake and released it back into the jungle.
In Bahraich, a crocodile strayed into a residential colony late on Saturday night. Villagers spotted the reptile sitting in the middle of a road at midnight. Forest officials later trapped it and released it in the Saryu canal. In Jaunpur and Pilibhit, incessant downpour has turned roads into ponds, forcing authorities to shut schools up to Class 12.
Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath conducted an aerial survey of flood-hit areas in Varanasi and Ghazipur on Saturday morning and asked officils to provide relief to the flood affected people at the earliest.
The situation in eastern Uttar Pradesh remains grim. In Ballia, the Ganga is flowing two metres above the danger mark, inundating 12 villages and submerging cremation grounds. In Prayagraj, the Ganga and Yamuna are in spate for the fourth time in two months. Nearly 10,000 homes in low-lying colonies have been flooded, compelling residents to pack up and move to safer places. In Varanasi, the iconic 84 ghats have once again lost their interconnection, and water has begun seeping into houses along the river.
Till Sunday morning. rainfall was recorded in 26 towns. Bijnor’s roads turned into water pools, while in Lucknow, scientist Atul Singh explained that a fresh weather system has become active over the Bay of Bengal, which will bring another round of rainfall.
The meteorological department has issued an alert for 40 districts, including warnings of heavy rainfall in 10 of them. Officials fear that if rains continue, the flood situation could worsen further in eastern and central Uttar Pradesh.
