Lucknow, 02 Sept (HS): Heavy rain and swelling rivers

continued to disrupt life in Uttar Pradesh on Wednesday, with two persons

murdered in Sitapur, two girls missing in Ghazipur, and over 20,000 people

impacted by flooding in Ballia. The Ganga breached the dager level in Varanasi,

flooding highways and requiring boats to operate in various regions, while

Mandakini in Chitrakoot climbed almost four meters above the danger mark.

Relief and rescue activities were ongoing in numerous

districts as floodwaters flooded residential areas, families were relocated to

safer locations, and transportation and schools were flooded with water in

several areas. Authorities also monitored erosion, rising river levels, and

water discharge from Mirzapur's reservoir. In Sitapur, Nekram and his niece Lakshmi

were killed when a mud wall fell in Gaura village, which is part of the

Kamlapur police station.

Mohit, an eight-year-old child, was hurt and is seeking

treatment, according to police.

According to Inspector-in-Charge Atul Chaudhary, the

persistent rain undermined the building, and the wall suddenly fell while the

victims were inside. Mahi Singh, 16, and Mahima Singh, 14, of Basantpatti

village, were washed away while swimming in the Ganga at Chochakpur Ghat in

Karanda, Ghazipur. Police and administrative teams, aided by boatmen, searched

for them, but they were not discovered. According to the district government,

Ganga floods have flooded various residential areas in Ballia, impacting around

20,000 people. Forty-seven boats were dispatched for relief and mobility.

According to District Magistrate Mangla Prasad Singh, the Ganga is 1.60 meters

over the danger level and is anticipated to rise slightly more by Tuesday nite

and Wednesday morning.

He informed reporters that all of our teams are on alert in

39 villages along the Ganga in Ballia Sadar and 17 in Bairia. Ghaghra, or

Saryu, was running at a dangerous level, and officials were monitoring erosion.

Officials said that the government issued 6,110 ration packages, 33,411

medication kits, and 81,300 cooked-food packets. Flood shelters and community

meals were established in Gopalnagar Tadi and Bhojpurwa, while the National

Disaster Response Force and PAC teams were involved in relief and rescue

activities.

At 10 a.m. in Varanasi, the Central Water Commission

measured the Ganga at 70.28 meters, which was higher than the alert level of

70.26 meters but lower than the danger mark of 71.262 meters. The water was

increasing at 0.5 centimeters per hour.

Boats navigated flooding alleys, while cremations at the

flooded Manikarnika and Harishchandra ghats were relocated to roofs and

bylanes. Several households living beside the Varuna River were moved to relief

camps. Mandakini is gushing roughly four meters above the danger level in

Chitrakoot following heavy rain in neighboring Madhya Pradesh. Ajit Kumar,

Commissioner of Chitrakoot Dham Division, stated that impacted persons were

relocated to safer locations and given with food and other necessities.

Waterlogging has impacted sacred places such as Ramghat and the Nirmohi Akhara,

and the bridge between Ramghat and Nayagaon has been destroyed.

DIG Rajesh S said that State Disaster Response Force and National Disaster

Response Force troops were rescuing persons stranded in floods, while Army

helicopters evacuated many people. Police and administrative personnel remained

in the Pahadi, Rajapur, and Manikpur regions.

Authorities in Lakhimpur Kheri have closed all educational

institutions up to Class 8. Rising Sharda floods impeded train operation on the

Mailani-Nanpara route due to water seepage between Bhira and Palia stations.

North Eastern Railway PRO Mahesh Gupta stated that services between Mailani,

Bichhia, and Nanpara will remain stopped till further notice.

The situation along Nepal's border remained a source of concern as the Mohana

and Karnali rivers surged in the Tikunia area, threatening border settlements

such as those near Dudhwa National Park.

In Mirzapur, authorities opened two gates of the Aharoura reservoir at 9:30

a.m. to discharge around 700 cusecs of water after its level increased fast

following heavy rain. According to Executive Engineer Harishankar Prasad, the

catchment region received 105 mm of rainfall, and the controlled release was

intended to keep reservoir levels stable and prevent floods in low-lying parts

of Mirzapur and Chandauli. The Ganga at Mirzapur is still around 1.5 meters

below the danger line. In Sonbhadra, a fracture in the embankment of the Nakti

Nibhahwa pond in Belwania village caused waterlogging, allowing water into the

homes of 11 households. District Magistrate Charchit Gaur stated that all

affected households were relocated to a panchayat building, where food and

other necessities were provided. Drainage work and medical help were also in

progress. According to the district inspector of schools, Sonbhadra and

Prayagraj schools from Classes 1 to 12 were closed on Wednesday due to

inclement weather.

Hindusthan Samachar / Abhishek Awasthi