27 Uttar Pradesh districts in grip of floods

LUCKNOW: As widespread rains lashed the state for the better part of this week, several rivers were flowing above the danger mark. More than 30 deaths were reported from across UP since Monday with the Ganga, Ghaghara, Ramganga, Sharda and Kuwaun overflowing in several districts. On Thursday, CM Yogi Adityanath inspected the flood ravaged areas of Sitapur, Basti, Gonda and Barabanki and announced that villages settled along the banks of the flood-hit rivers would be settled in safer areas."Families will also be given benefits under the Prime Minister Awas Yojana," he said.

The Ganga was flowing above the danger mark at Bulandshahr, Badaun, Farukkhabad, Kanour and Ballia. At Ballia, the river was more than 1 metre above the danger mark and was still rising. In Lucknow, the Sai river was only 0.48 metre below the danger mark and was still rising. The Ghaghra, meanwhile, was showing signs of receding.
Around 27 districts in the state are affected by floods, enveloping 806 villages. More than 5.06 lakh people have been affected.
The Met department said that the intensity of rainfall was expected to reduce over the next couple of days but would pick up again, especially over east UP, by the weekend. "Rainfall will be fairly widespread over Uttarakhand and east UP from September 11 to 13. It will be fairly widespread over west UP on Friday and east UP on Monday," said a Met department official. Relief commissioner Sanjay Kumar said that 11 teams of the National Disaster Relief Force have been deployed in Lucknow Varanasi, Gorakhpur, Shravasti, Chandauli, Bahraich, Balrampur, Allahabad and Rae Bareili. Another company of the state disaster relief force has been stationed at Gonda while two are in Lucknow on standby. Another 17 companies of the PAC flood battalion have also been stationed in flood affected areas.
Health minister Sidharth Nath Singh held a video conference with chief medical officers on Thursday to assess spread of diseases due to floods. Directing officials to especially focus on the spread of infectious diseases, he said that camps should be set up in all flood affected areas. On Thursday, the minister suspended CMO of Badaun, De Uma Shankar, on charges of inefficiency. He has also proposed a departmental inquiry against him.