14 more die in UP rains; toll rises to 106

IMAGE: Vehicles damaged by uprooted trees due to heavy rains in Lucknow on Tuesday. Photograph: PTI Photo

As many as 14 people were killed and seven others injured in rain-related incidents in different parts of Uttar Pradesh in the last 24 hours, raising the death toll to 106 since the last week, official sources said on Wednesday.

According to reports, two people were killed each in Farukhabad and Bahraich while one each in Kheri, Raebareli, Lucknow, Kanpur Dehat, Barabanki, Sitpaur and Sultanpur.

"The toll since the last week in such incidents has reached 106 while the total number of those injured is over 100," they said.

Over 80 cattle lost their lives and over 600 houses were damaged in rain-related incidents.

Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has directed senior officials of all the districts to alert people and asked them to undertake extensive tours of the affected areas and identify dilapidated buildings and get them vacated, a government spokesperson said here.

He also directed officials to provide immediate financial and medical assistance to people severely affected by rains.

Meanwhile, an SUV plunged 15-20 feet after a service road caved in alongside the Agra-Lucknow expressway today following heavy rains, prompting the state government to order a probe.

No one was injured in the incident, officials said.

According to the Met office, more rain and thunder showers are likely at most places over the east and at many places in the west Uttar Pradesh on Thursday.

Moderate to heavy rain and thundershowers occurred at most places of the state today, it said.

Nanpara (Bahraich) and Baheri each recorded 15 cm rainfall, followed by Haidergarh (Barabanki), Safipur and Nighason (11 cm each), Bareilly (10 cm), Lucknow, Unnao, Kannauj (9 cm each), Bareilly (8 cm), and Fatehgarh, Fatehpur, Bhatpurawaghat, Mathura (7 cm each).

According to a Central Water Commission report, the Sharda river was flowing above the danger mark in Paliakalan (Lakhimpur) and near the mark at Sharda Nagar (Kheri), while the Ghagra river was above the red mark at Elgin Bridge (Barabanki) and at Ayodhya (Faizabad).

While the water level of the Ganga river was rising in Kanpur Dehat, Kanpur, Raebareli, Garhmukteshwar, Mirzapur, Fafamau (Allahabad), Ghazipur and Ballia, the Yamuna was flowing above the danger mark in Mathura. It was also rising in Agra and Eetawah, it said.

The water level of the Gomti river was rising in Sultanpur, and the Rapti river in Bahraich, Shravasti and Balrampu, it said.