At least 19 people died on Monday in rain-related incidents in Uttar Pradesh where flood situation aggravated in several districts, affecting road and railway traffic, due to rain and rise in level of major rivers.
While five persons were killed in Bareilly, four deaths were reported from Unnao and two each from Faizabad, Badaun, Shahjahanpur, Muzaffarnagar and Pilibhit, officials said.
Flood waters submerged more than 200 villages in Bareilly and Moradabad divisions as incessant rain lashed the region and water from Ramganga and Kosi rivers released from Kalagarh, Naraura, Behgul, Nand Sagar and Dhaura dams.
Seven trains have been cancelled in the region in the wake of the deluge. Inclement weather prevented IAF helicopters, sent from Bareilly, to carry out rescue and relief operations in Bijnore and Uttarakhand from landing at the two places.
"IAF helicopters were sent to carry out relief and rescue work in Bijnore and Uttarakhand, but they returned back to Bareilly after failing to land due to bad weather," an official said.
Vehicular movement on the National Highway connecting Delhi with Lucknow, which was closed on Saturday last after its section near Moradabad division was flooded, will remain suspended till September 22.
Water seeped on roads on all the four sides of Pilibhit district after around four lakh cusec water was released in Devaha river, officials said. The Ganga river was flowing one metre above danger mark in Badaun district after five lakh cusec water was released from the Naraura dam.
The district administration has directed to evict villagers in Sahaswan, Junawai, Kachla and Dataganj areas located alongside Ganga. Meanwhile in Rampur, two lakh people were affected due to floods.
"The capacity of the Kosi river was 35,000 cusecs of water. With two lakh cusecs of water being released into it, unprecedented devastation has been caused," Rampur District Magistrate of T N Singh said.
The national disaster society has dispatched teams of ITBP jawans to assist district administration to help in relief and rescue work. All the educational institutions in the area will remain closed for next three days.
According to the Central Water Commission, Ganga is flowing almost at danger mark in Gumatia (Kannauj), Ankinghat (Kanpur dehat), Kanpur and Dalmau (Rae Bareilly) and was rising at Fafamau and Chatnag in Allahabad, Mirzapur, Varanasi, Ghazipur and Ballia. Ramganga is flowing above red mark in Moradabad and is rising in Bareilly and Dabri (Shahjahanpur).
Yamuna is flowing above danger mark at Prayag Ghat in Mathura and is swelling at Bagahpat, Mohna, Etawah, Auraiyya, Naini (Allahabad) and Chillaghat (Banda). Sharda river is flowing at danger mark at Kheri, while Ghaghara is above the danger mark at Elgin Bridge in Barabanki, Ayodhya and Turtipar in Ballia.
