Lucknow: Monsoon rains have unleashed widespread disruption across Uttar Pradesh, as rivers surge and infrastructure crumbles under the pressure.
On Thursday morning, a 20 foot section of the Lucknow-Varanasi Highway in Varanasi caved in near the Gilat Bazaar police outpost, injuring a man and toppling police barricades. Locals rushed to pull the victim to safety.
Notably, a roadways bus was trapped at the same location just two days earlier. In Gonda, the Saryu river overflowed unexpectedly, submerging a bulldozer stationed near a flooded road. The vehicle was later retrieved using a crane. Authorities have declared flood alerts in two tehsils, where rising waters threaten low-lying villages.
Farrukhabad is facing a similar crisis, with the Ganga river touching 136.60 meters which is just 50 centimeters below the danger mark of 137.10 meters. Several acres of crops have been submerged in Amritpur and Kayamganj areas.
In Prayagraj, both Ganga and Yamuna rivers are inching towards danger levels, prompting a shutdown of boat services and the initiation of flood shelter preparations. In Varanasi, the Ganga is rising at 10 cm per hour, currently flowing at 62.52 meters. Several ghats have become inaccessible, and the iconic Ratneshwar Mahadev Temple is now 60% submerged.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast continued rains for the next five days, with heavy rainfall alerts in 10 districts.
Over the past 24 hours, Lakhimpur Kheri received 212 mm of rain, the highest in the state. While the statewide average stood at 6.2 mm, 13% above normal. As flood risks mount, authorities have activated disaster response units and urged citizens to remain alert near rivers and low lying areas.
