Uttar Pradesh flood toll rises to 48

The toll in Uttar Pradesh floods on Monday increased to 48, with reports of 20 more deaths in the state where several rivers were flowing above danger mark posing threat to more than 1,000 villages.

According to officials, nine persons died in Bahraich, eight in Shravasti, two in Balrampur and one in Lakhimpur in flood related incidents in past 24 hours.

Bahraich, Shravasti, Balrampur, Lakhimpur, Barabanki, Gonda, Sitapur, Faizabad and Azamgarh were the worst affected districts in the state.

With several rivers flowing over the danger mark, state government has asked the district officials to remain in constant touch with the affected people and also warned that no laxity in the relief works would be tolerated.

Chief Secretary Alok Ranjan has asked Principal Secretary Revenue to take reports of the flood situation on a daily basis and apprise senior officials and government of the same.

Directing the officials concerned to keep in constant contact with the affected people, Ranjan warned "no laxity in the relief works would be tolerated".

According to Additional District Magistrate, Shravasti, eight persons were killed in separate flood related incidents in Bhinga and Ikauna tehsils of the district, while four persons, swept away in flood water, could not be traced yet.

A total of 117 villages in two tehsils of the district, having a population of 60,000, have been affected by floods.

In Bahraich, Chief Revenue officer, U S Upadhyay said level of water of Saryu river has come below the danger mark while river Ghaghra was still flowing about the danger mark.

An NDRF team has been deployed here for rescue and relief operations. The district administration has requested for two helicopters from the army to carry out rescue and relief work in villages situated in the interior areas.

Rising water level of river Ghaghra also posed a threat to rail and road traffic. Traffic at National Highway 28 was affected on Bahraich-Lucknow road after flood water of Ghaghra submerged the roads near Ganeshpur. The rising water level almost touched the railway line at Ghaghra bridge posing a threat of disruption to rail traffic.

In Balrampur and Barabaki, two persons each drowned in separate incidents due to floods while in Lakhimpur, body of a three-year-old girl was recovered from a village, according to SDM, Lakhimpur Narendra Singh.

According to Central Water Commission report, Rapti river was touching danger mark in Balrampur while it was flowing above the danger mark in Birdghat in Gorakhpur.

River Ghaghra was flowing above danger mark in Ayodhya and Turtipar while Budhi Rapti in Kakhari in Siddharth Nagar and Sharda at Palliakalan in Lakhimpur

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