Rains Continue to Wreak Havoc in Western UP; Flood Alert Issued in Several Districts

After 4.71 cubic feet per second (cusec) of water was discharged into the Sharda River from the Banbasa barrage, flood warnings were issued in Pilibhit and Lakhimpur Kheri districts of Uttar Pradesh. 

As water is expected to have inundated the district's low-lying neighbourhoods, people have been relocated to relief camps and several villages were evacuated. Residents have been warned to keep a distance of at least 50 meters from the rivers. 

In the Terai area, heavy rains over the last 48 hours have wreaked havoc on the rice crop. Massive crop losses have been recorded in Agra, notably in the bajra and paddy crops, which were planted on over 3 lakh hectares of land. Field waterlogging is expected to have a negative impact on mustard, chili, and vegetable crops. On Tuesday, the agricultural department began assessing crop damage in the districts of Agra, Firozabad, Etah, and Kasganj. 

Farmers have been asked to report their losses to the state's toll-free lines for claims under the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana within 72 hours. Alternatively, they can report their losses to their tehsildar or sub-divisional magistrate. 

“The last time such a large volume of water was discharged into the rivers, 181 villages were destroyed. During the night, the water level will rise by up to 2.5 meters. Our rescue teams are prepared, but it is critical to be vigilant," said Arvind Kumar Chaurasiya, district magistrate of Lakhimpur Kheri. 

"Bajra and paddy farmers across the district have lost over 50% of their crops due to excessively wet weather. Vegetable crops have also been harmed. It is wheat harvest season, which will be postponed due to the time it will take for flooded fields to dry. Potatoes may germinate incorrectly, and mustard crops seeded will be destroyed," said Rajveer Lawaniya, district president, Bharatiya Kisan Union, Agra unit. 

Likewise, rainfall in Uttarakhand's hills and plains are threatening seven Uttar Pradesh districts. The storage level of the Kalagarh dam, which spans the Ramganga river, is 363.5 meters, dangerously near to the danger mark. Authorities poured 5,000 cubic meters of water into the Ramganga. 

Bijnor, Amroha, Moradabad, Rampur, Bareilly, Shahjahanpur, and Farrukhabad are among the districts under threat. Four divisional commissioners, senior police officials, and seven district judges have already been notified by dam authorities to take all necessary precautions. 

Furthermore, the Ganga is quickly rising. Within 24 hours, the water flow has increased to 1.99 lakh cusec from 45,000 cusec. Two villages, Brahampuri and Ravali, have been flooded by Ganga water. Already, an elementary school has been inundated. A tiny bridge that connected a half-dozen communities to the district headquarters has been flooded. To go to their destinations, villagers use boats. 

According to authorities, there are 312 communities in the area that have been flooded and are located on the banks of several rivers. There are twenty-five along the Ganga.