Floods Force Villagers to Migrate to Safe Places in UP

New Delhi: The flood situation in Uttar Pradesh worsened on Tuesday with train services disrupted in the Varanasi-Allahabad section as water entered villages in nearly half a dozen districts

There has been a rise in the water level of major rivers after heavy rainfall, officials said, adding that villagers in some parts of the state are being forced to migrate to safer places. 

Since August 13, the water level of Ganga river has risen up to 66.72 metres from 65.24 metres in the city inundating platforms on the ghats.

Due to massive rise in water level of the Ganga, people were evacuated from some parts of ghats after the floodwaters entered villages, officials said.

In several parts of Western Uttar Pradesh, several rivers, including Ganga, Yamuna and Ghaghra, are in spate. Ganga is flowing above the danger mark in Badaun, Garhmukteshwar, Naraura and Farrukhabad. Similarly, the Sharda river at Paliakalan and the Ghaghra river at Elginbridge are flowing above the red mark, the Central Water Commission told the media.

Also, in a span of 24 hours, a rise of 1.5 metre was recorded in Ghazipur and Ballia districts in downstream where the water level inched closer to the danger mark. At Naini, Yamuna’s water level was recorded at 81.33 metres. Ganga’s water level rose to 81.35 metres at Phaphamau while at Chatnag, the water level was 80.68 metres. The danger mark for both Ganga and Yamuna is 84.73 metres.

The District Magistrate of Varanasi, Surendra Singh, was quoted as saying by the Times of India that all DMs have been told to keep a close watch on the water level as also halt boat-riding.

Meanwhile, reports from flood-hit areas said thousands of displaced flood victims held a protest against “inadequate” relief and rescue operations by district administrations.

Avdesh Yadav, a sanitation worker living close to a ghat, told NewsClick, “We have been forced to leave the ghats where we lived for so many years as several rivers and dams are overflowing due to incessant rainfall but adequate measures are not being taken by the administration to keep the situation under control."

According to officials, 16-year-old Anshu drowned in Etawah district due to release of water from the Kota barrage into the Chambal.

As per the Central Water Commission, the Yamuna is flowing above the danger mark in Auraiya and Jalaun; while the Ganga in Badaun; the Chambal river at Palia Kalan in Lakhimpur Kheri; and the Ghaghara are flowing above the red mark.