UP Rains: Thousands Affected as Ganga Flows Above Danger Mark

Pedestrians try to make their way across a street during heavy rain in Uttar Pradesh. Image used for representational purpose.

(Photo: PTI)  

Over 4,000 people have been deemed affected by the rains that lashed parts off Uttar Pradesh over the weekend, continuing into Monday, 3 September. The rains have also resulted in the Ganga river breaching danger level and flowing above mark.

Speaking to ANI, flood relief officer Virag Kumar said close to 1,000 people had been shifted into relief camps, along with their cattle.

Total 4,000 people affected. Water level unlikely to rise further. 1,000 people moved to shelters till now with their cattle.

Virag Kumar, Flood relief officer

On Sunday, 2 September, at least 16 people died and 12 were injured in rain-related incidents in the state, where authorities had to take Indian Air Force’s (IAF) help to airlift marooned villagers,

The IAF personnel rescued 14 people stranded in Lalitpur and Jhansi districts due to heavy rainfall, drawing praise from Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath.

Shahjahanpur bore the maximum brunt of the weather onslaught on Saturday, 1 September, as six people died after being struck by lightning, while seven were injured.

A statement by the office of the UP Relief Commissioner said, “Six people lost their lives in Shahjahanpur, while three died in Sitapur district and two people each in Auraiyya and Amethi”.

One person each died in Lakhimpur Kheri, Rae Bareli and Unnao, it said, adding, all deaths took place on Saturday.

18 animals were killed and 461 houses or huts were damaged, the statement added.

Widespread Rainfall Over Next Two Days

The meteorological department predicted widespread rainfall in eastern and western parts of the state on 3 and 4 September.

District Magistrate, Shahjahanpur, Amrit Tripathi said a few youngsters were grazing cattle in Shamsherpur village on Saturday, when a sudden downpour forced them to take shelter under a tree.

“Mohit (24), Bablu (5), Anmol (10) and Dablu (11) died when they were struck by lightning, while three were seriously injured,” he said.

Vandana (11) of Nabipur village and Ashok (42) of Sikandarpur village in the district, also lost their lives when lightning struck them, Tripathi said.

"Sub-Divisional Magistrate Ramji Mishra was sent to the spot. Financial assistance of Rs 4 lakh is being made available to the kin of the deceased," he said.

The bodies were sent for post-mortem and the injured have been admitted to Shahjahanpur district hospital, police said.

Six people were stranded in a village of Lalitpur district Sunday, 3 September, following heavy rains. In Garautha tehsil of Jhansi district, eight fishermen were stranded near Erech Dam on the Betwa river after a sudden rise in water level, they said.

Uttar Pradesh Relief Commissioner Sanjay Kumar said, "All six people were successfully rescued in Lalitpur district. The IAF team did a fantastic job."