Lucknow: Unrelenting rains in both hilly and plain regions have plunged large parts of Uttar Pradesh into crisis, with floods affecting more than 700 villages across 22 districts.
Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has instructed officials to accelerate relief and rescue operations, relocate affected families to safer areas, and ensure adequate arrangements for livestock.
The downpour has swollen Himalayan rivers and smaller tributaries, forcing authorities to release water from dams and barrages, worsening flooding in downstream areas. Many low-lying villages now remain submerged under several feet of water.
Relief Commissioner Bhanu Chandra Goswami said that 43 tehsils and 768 villages are inundated, directly impacting over 2.52 lakh residents. To mitigate the crisis, 33,370 cattle have been moved to safer places, while 550 boats are ferrying relief material to marooned areas.
Authorities have established 278 flood shelters, currently housing 3,089 people. Medical assistance is being provided by 586 teams conducting regular health check ups. As many as 1,022 flood monitoring posts have been set up to keep a round-the-clock watch on the situation.
The worst affected districts include Varanasi, Prayagraj, Auraiya, Bahraich, Banda, Mirzapur, Kanpur Dehat, Chandauli, Fatehpur, Kanpur Nagar, Barabanki, Badaun, Farrukhabad, Gonda, Hardoi, Kasganj, Lakhimpur Kheri, Meerut, Moradabad, Muzaffarnagar, Shahjahanpur, and Unnao.
Meanwhile, large swathes of northern India have been battered by incessant rains since yesterday. The Himalayan belt has witnessed landslides and flash floods, with overflowing rivers sweeping away roads, bridges, and critical infrastructure. Authorities fear the situation may deteriorate further if rains continue.
