- Heavy rains caused 56 deaths, 46 injuries across Uttar Pradesh.
- Rare weather systems triggered widespread flooding, river levels rose dangerously.
- Infrastructure damaged, crops flattened; rescue efforts continue statewide.
- Neighboring states Odisha, Uttarakhand also experienced rising river levels.
Fifty-six people have died and 46 were injured in rain and storm-related incidents across Uttar Pradesh since September 25, while rising river levels have increased the flood threat in several districts following three days of intense rainfall, officials said.
Heavy rain and strong winds have uprooted trees and electric poles, inundated roads and villages and damaged 1,021 houses and standing crops. Rescue teams are carrying out operations in waterlogged areas to move stranded people to safer locations.
The state received 45.1 mm rainfall in the 24 hours ending Sunday, compared with the normal 1.8 mm, officials said.
Why Was UP Hit By Such Heavy Rain?
The intense spell was triggered by a rare interaction between two weather systems.
A deep depression carrying moisture from the Bay of Bengal moved towards northeastern Madhya Pradesh and southern Uttar Pradesh. At the same time, a Western Disturbance originating from the Mediterranean region moved in and interacted with the system.
The combination resulted in heavy rainfall across central Uttar Pradesh and the Terai belt.
The India Meteorological Department said the system responsible for the rainfall moved north-northwestwards and weakened into a well-marked low-pressure area at 5.30 am on Sunday.
It is expected to continue moving in the same direction across Uttar Pradesh and weaken further into a low-pressure area over the next 12 hours.
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Ghagra, Rapti Rise Above Warning Levels
The Central Water Commission said the Ghagra and Rapti rivers were showing rising trends at several monitoring stations, posing a flood threat to low-lying areas.
At Elginbridge in Barabanki, the Ghagra was flowing at 106.14 metres at 8 am, above its danger level of 106.07 metres. The level was expected to rise to 106.55 metres by Sunday night.
In Ayodhya, the river was at 92.39 metres against the warning level of 91.73 metres and was forecast to rise to 92.85 metres.
The Rapti was also rising sharply in eastern Uttar Pradesh. At Balrampur, it stood at 104 metres against its warning level of 103.62 metres and was likely to rise further by Sunday evening.
Sitapur recorded the highest number of rain-related deaths at seven. Lakhimpur Kheri, Bahraich and Balrampur reported five deaths each, while Ayodhya and Gorakhpur recorded four each.
The relief commissioner, Dr Hrishikesh Bhaskar Yashod, reviewed rescue and relief operations with district magistrates and additional district magistrates on Sunday. Officials were directed to remain in the field, maintain contact with affected residents, assess crop damage and provide compensation according to rules.
Waterlogging Hits Roads, Expressway
Heavy waterlogging was reported in several parts of the state. At the Sonik toll plaza on the Ganga Expressway in Unnao, pumps were used to drain accumulated rainwater.
Project manager R S Mishra said the expressway remained operational and traffic movement was normal. He said waterlogging was reported only at one ramp in Unnao, where drainage was partly affected due to the relatively low height of a high-tension power line near the ramp.
In Lucknow, a portion of the road near Ekana Stadium reportedly caved in, while several intersections were waterlogged. Agricultural fields in Bakshi Ka Talab were submerged and crops were flattened by rain and strong winds.
The Kanpur-Etawah highway was also reported to have suffered damage over a stretch of around 200 metres.
Heavy rain was reported in Kanpur, Varanasi, Prayagraj, Gorakhpur, Bareilly, and several other parts of the state, accompanied by winds of 30-40 kmph.
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Odisha Faces Rising Water Levels
The impact of the widespread rains has also been felt in Odisha, where the flow of water in the Mahanadi river system has increased rapidly.
According to Dilip Kumar Rout, Engineer-in-Chief of the Water Resources Department, the water level near Mundli is expected to reach 800,000 cusecs.
Low-lying areas of Khurda, Cuttack, Puri and Jagatsinghpur could face inundation.
The Luna, Karandia, Chitrotpala, Kathajodi, Kuakhai, Baitarani, Salandi and Subarnarekha rivers are flowing above the danger mark.
Ganga Rises In Uttarakhand
Continuous rain in the mountains has also pushed up the water level of the Ganges near Muni-ki-Reti in Rishikesh.
Tehri Garhwal Tourism Officer Sobat Singh Rana said river rafting activities on the Ganges have been suspended indefinitely as a safety measure.
Rafting will resume only after weather conditions and river water levels improve.
Authorities in Uttar Pradesh have advised people to avoid unnecessary movement in waterlogged and flood-affected areas and stay away from fast-flowing rivers, streams and drains. The relief commissioner’s office helpline for emergency assistance is 1070.
(With inputs from PTI)
Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: abplive.com
