Uttar Pradesh floods toll rises to 49

Lucknow  :  The deaths in the Uttar Pradesh floods have risem to 49, officials said Tuesday.

The situation in Uttar Pradesh continued to be grim as rivers flooded more villages, the officials said.

Revenue officials told IANS that 49 people have died, including 22 in Bahraich, 10 in Shravasti, two in Balrampur, 11 in Lakhimpur Kheri, and four in Sitapur district.

The state government has set up a 24×7 control room at the office of the relief commissioner. The Chief Minister’s Office started overseeing the operations undertaken by the state officials, police and National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) personnel.

Many rivers are in spate owing to heavy rains in Uttarakhand and water released from neighbouring Nepal. Chief Secretary Alok Ranjan has issued directions to district magistrates to rescue people and arrange food and other facilities in the 73 relief camps, an official told IANS.

Principal Secretary (revenue) K.S. Atoria said two platoons of PAC, 25 motorboats, 367 boats, two helicopters were being used in rescue and relief work in Bahraich district.

Besides, a 42-member NDRF team and Border Security Force (BSF) personnel have also been deployed for the rescue operations. People have been provided with 6,500 food packets by helicopters and 35,012 packets have been distributed through 12 langars (charity kitchens).

Officials said about 68,000 people have been affected in 69 villages of Bhinga tehsil and 48 villages in Shravasti district. Besides two platoons of PAC, 32 boats for search and rescue and one motorboat, 17 flood-posts have been set up in these areas.

At least 910 people have been evacuated from Balrampur district by NDRF. At least 31,415 people have been affected by floods in 34 villages of Balrampur. Twelve relief camps have been set up with 24 flood-posts, the officials said.

At least 43,301 people have been affected in 30 villages of Gonda district due to sudden rise in water level of rivers.

In Sitapur district, water level of Chauka river was at 120.05 m, which was 1.05 m above the danger mark at Kanrakhi village. The level of Ghaghra river was at 0.85 m above the danger mark at Angraura village. Fifty-two villages of Sitapur were flood-affected.

To provide relief to 49,610 people, 218 boats have been deployed and 9,950 people have been rescued and evacuated to relief camps. At least 14 medical teams are deployed in Sitapur to treat flood affected victims.

Ganga and Sailani rivers were above the danger mark in Muzaffarnagar due to heavy rains in Uttarakhand recently, which affected villages of Khadar region.