Uttar Pradesh: Rains claim 14 more lives, takes tally to 106

Heavy rains in the last 24 hours have killed 14 people, raising the toll to 106 in Uttar Pradesh on Wednesday. As per to to the report two people were killed each in Farukhabad and Bahraich while one each in Kheri, Raebareli, Lucknow, Kanpur Dehat, Barabanki, Sitpaur and Sultanpur, reports NDTV.

Briefing the details, relief commissioner Sanjay Kumar said the situation is grim in rural parts of the state. The situation tuned even worse after the Ghargra river in Karnailganj tehsil in Gonda district damaged 100 metres of the temporary embankment, constructed around the age-old Elgin-Charsadi embankment. Due to this, there was panic situation in Nakhara, Kashipur, Gharkuian and Pratapur villages located near the embankment.

Claiming that the repair work was on to protect the embankment from soil erosion, irrigation department engineer V N Shukla said teams have been constituted to organize relief work, reports The Hindustan Times. Shukla added that villagers’ help were taken to rescue the labourers engaged in repair works.

However, villagers were not satisfied with the repair work and alleged that the repair work started only after level of the river started eroding the embankment. Ram Badan Singh, native of Kashipur village, alleged that instead of boulders, soil bags and bamboos were used to check the rising water level. Singh added the villagers have started moving to a safer place, reports HT. 

As per reports river Ghaghra is flowing above the danger level in Barabanki and Ayodhya in Faizabad district. Similar situations were observed in Bulandshahr district, where river Ganga is flowing above danger level. Even river Yamuna is flowing above danger mark at Mawi in Muzaffarnagar district and Prayaghat in Mathura districts. Other river creating havoc include Ghaghratoo in Ballia district of the state.

Incessant downpour have created a flood-like situation in Kanpur, where eight houses collapsed in the city while 35 more were damaged in a village of Kanpur Dehat. Army personnel took a stock of the situation and are helping in the rescue mission.

In order to help the ailing people, the state government has announced an ex-gratia of Rs 4 lakh for the family of the deceased and Rs 59,100 for each injured, reports HT. The daily further adds that a compensation of Rs 95,100 would be given to those whose houses were totally damaged and Rs 5,200 would be given to those houses were partially damaged. Even Rs 4,100 would be given to those losing their hutments due to heavy rain.