Heavy rains trigger floods across Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan; NDMA issues warnings, advises people to take safety measures

Incessant rains over the past few days has wreaked havoc in a number of places across the country. On Friday, the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) predicted heavy to very heavy rainfall at some places in 22 states and advised people take precautionary measures to avoid casualties."Heavy to very heavy rains are likely to occur at isolated places in Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Odisha, Assam, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram, Tripura, sub-Himalayan West Bengal, Sikkim, Jharkhand, West Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Haryana, Chandigarh, Delhi, Himachal Pradesh, East Rajasthan, Konkan, Goa, Vidarbha and Telangana", the NDMA said, quoting a bulletin from the India Meteorological Department (IMD).In Uttar Pradesh, heavy rains caused the Ganga to flood and inundate Kanpur, Hapur, Varanasi and Baliya. The Uttar Pradesh Disaster Management Authority on Thursday said 153 marooned villages and 805 villages were affected by the floods. Over 2,000 houses and huts were damaged or submerged, and over 1.12 lakh hectares of land were affected, reported ABP.[caption id="attachment_5143861" align="alignleft" width="380"]

Yogi Adityanath had conducted aerial survey on Friday to take stock of the situation of the flood affected areas in Unnao, Kanpur and Farrukhabad. ANI[/caption]Local residents have made arrangements to take shelter on the roofs of their homes to protect themselves, and boats were also seen being used. Water entered several houses, forcing families to relocate to relief camps set up by the Uttar Pradesh government.In Varanasi, connectivity between 84 ghats were also affected. Low-lying areas are under water, and boating has temporarily been banned in the region, with authorities issuing a warning. The Central Water Commission said all major rivers are flowing in spate. The Ganga, Ram Ganga, Sharda, Ghaghra and Quano are currently flowing above the danger mark at different places.Rains and floods have affected 23 districts in Uttar Pradesh. Six more people died in rain-related incidents since Thursday night, taking the toll to 82 since 1 September, officials said on Friday.Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Friday undertook an aerial survey of the flood-hit areas of Kanpur, Unnao and Farrukhabad districts and also distributed relief material to those affected, officials said. In Kanpur, the district magistrate appealed the people to donate mosquito nets and mosquito repellent creams.

Heavy rainfall also triggered floods in Rajasthan's Baran district, flooding shops and offices in the region. Two girls were killed and four of their relatives were injured when the roof of their house collapsed in the rain-hit district in the early hours of Saturday, the police said. Laxmi Bairagi (10) and her sister Pinki (15), who were visiting their relatives from Jhalawar district, were killed in the incident. The region has been receiving moderate to heavy rainfall since Friday evening and rivers are in spate, the police added.The NDMA had issued warnings about heavy rain in Chhattisgarh. Streets were flooded after heavy showers, leading to loss and damage of property.Incessant rainfall in Odisha, too, caused the water level in several rivers in the state to rise. The Baitarani river is flowing above the danger mark in Akhuapada in Bhadrak and Anandpur in Keonjhar district. There were reports of water-logging in a number of places, as well. Areas in Sundargarh district and Kutra are flooded.HR Biswas, director of IMD Bhubaneswar, said, "The depression (in the Bay is Bengal) became weak and moved towards Chhattisgarh. “The rainfall due to its influence has already decreased. Pockets of North Odisha received major rainfall in the last two days due to this system", reported The Times of India.The NDMA has also warned about the possibility of strong winds with the speed of 25 to 35 kmph hitting interior Odisha, Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand till Saturday.The disaster management authority has advised people to stock up on first aid kits, torches, drinking water and non-perishable food items and also not allow children to play near water bodies in flood-prone areas. It also tweeted saying domestic animals should not be kept on a leash, and advised people to stay away from sewerage lines, drains and culverts.Over 1,400 people, including 488 in Kerala, have lost their lives due to rains, floods and landslides in 10 states so far this monsoon season, according to the Ministry of Home Affairs. Rains and floods have affected 30 districts in Odisha, 26 districts in Maharashtra, 25 in Assam, 23 each in Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal, 14 in Kerala, 13 in Uttarakhand, 11 each in Karnataka and Nagaland and 10 in Gujarat.With inputs from agencies