Flood situation worsens in eastern UP; Army help sought

Gorakhpur: The flood situation worsened in eastern UP districts adjoining Nepal today following continuous rains and discharge of water in rivers with the district administration here seeking the help of Army in relief and rescue operations.

The movement of traffic on the Gorakhpur-Sonauli road towards Nepal has come to a standstill with the waters of Rohin river inundating Maniram township and the national highway, sources in the administration said.

In view of the situation, District Magistrate Rajiv Rautela has ordered the closure of all schools till tomorrow and sought the help of the Army in relief and rescue operations.

After the authorities undertook works to plug the breach in the embankment of Rohin river in Campierganj area two days ago to save water reaching some areas in the city, another breach was observed in it this morning leading to panic.

As many as 105 villages of the district have been hit by the floods of which 35 are totally submerged and the villagers have been shifted to safer places, they said.

Teams of NDRF are providing food and drinking water to the flood-hit people with the help of 169 boats.

According to a report from Siddhartnagar, Army helicopters assisted in extending relief material to the affected people yesterday.

The number of affected villages has gone up to 450 of which 200 are marooned.

Several districts in the eastern region of the state including Balrampur, Basti, Siddhartnagar, Barabanki, Ayodhya, Lakhimpur, Mahrajganj, Gonda are facing floods.

According to the Central Water Commission report, Rapti at Balrampur, Bansi (Siddhartnagar), Rigauli and Birdghat (Gorakhpur), Budhi Rapti river at Kakrahi and Uska Bazar (Siddhartnagar), Rohin river at Trimohanighat (Maharajganj) and Quano at Chandradeep ghat (Gonda) were flowing above the red mark.

Ghaghra is flowing well above the danger mark at Ayodhya, Elgin Bridge (Barabanki) and Turtipar (Ballia) and Sharda is also flowing above the red mark at Palia Kalan (Kheri).