Flood toll rises to 63 in UP; monsoon recedes in north

The death toll from flood-related incidents rose to 63 today in Uttar Pradesh with the situation remaining grim in several areas, even as most parts of the northern region experienced dry weather with mercury rising by a few notches.

In Uttar Pradesh, where the death toll reached 63 with 15 more deaths, several rivers maintained high level and breached their embankments in many areas posing further troubles.

While eight persons died in Bahraich district, three each in Shravasti and Balrampur and one in Lakhimpur were killed due to flood-related incidents in the past 24 hours, official sources said.

Bahraich, Shravasti, Balrampur, Lakhimpur, Barabanki, Gonda, Sitapur, Faizabad and Azamgarh were the worst affected districts in the state. More than three lakh population in 1,206 hamlets of 220 villages were affected due to flood in Bahraich district. In Shravasti, around 60,000 people in more than 100 villages of Bhinga and Ikauna tehsils were affected, and of them more than 28,000 people have been moved to safe places.

According to reports from Lakhimpur, flood continued in Nighasan teshil due to Mohana river and in Dhaurahra tehsil due to Ghaghra river. Though water has receded, it is posing threat of breach alongside the river at a number of places.

Report from Azamgarh said that Ghaghra was playing havoc and around 60,000 people in 80 villages of Sagdi tehsil were affected by flood. Pressure was increasing on Mahula-Garhwal checkdam and there was a breach near Parsia village.

According to reports from Balrampur district, water has receded in Tulsipur and Balrampur tehsils, but was increasing in Utraula. Balrampur-Tulsipur and Balrampur-Utraula routes have been closed. Reports from Barabanki said that 95,000 people were affected in 118 villages of different tehsils.

Barring a few places in Rajasthan, the country's northern region, however, experienced dry weather with the mercury rising by a few notches in most places, including Delhi. Hot and humid conditions continued to torment Delhiites, with the mercury settling at three notches above normal. 

The maximum temperature was recorded at 37 degrees Celsius and the minimum at 27 degrees, one point above normal. The humidity in the air oscillated between 43 per cent and 82 per cent.