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Floods gobble 70 per cent of Gorakhpur

The turbulent waters of Rapti, Ghaghra and Kuwano rivers have submerged at least 70 per cent of the landed area, affecting over a million people, in Uttar Pradesh's Gorakhpur district.

More than two dozen embankments on Rapti and Ghaghra are under water.

The official toll in floods all over UP is around 109.

The district administration has no fresh information about casualties. However, unconfirmed reports from flood-affected areas said many more bodies were seen floating around.

Sahajanava, Gola, Bansgaon and Khazani sub-divisions are totally cut off from the district headquarters. Access to these places is only through wireless or telephone.

Chamra Bund, on the bank of river Ghaghra, was flooded Wednesday, affecting at least 10 villages. The Sopai bund near Ghanghata in Basti district was also inundated.

Additional District Magistrate (finance) P K Srivastava said the administration was doing its best to rescue victims. Though the water had receded, the rivers were still lowing above the danger mark of 76.71 metres. The government was concentrating on saving Madhopar and Herburt embankments on the outskirts of the Mahanagar area, to protect the civil lines and airforce station.

Srivastava said 200 armymen and an equal number of other personnel were deployed in various areas to transport the people out of flood-hit villages. More than 10,000 people have been rescued so far. At least 1100 boats and 42 motor boats have been pressed into service, he said.

According to Air Commodore B N Goghale, the Eagle helicopter unit had made several sorties to drop at least three tonnes of food in packets in the marooned villages.

The waters which inundated the Ramgarh lake has now entered a major part of the Railway Colony (Bichhia) Shahpur East, Daudpur, Bilindpur and the Rustampur areas of the city. Parts of the national highway are also submerged.

UNI

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