UP flood woes continue; Toll touches 104, 2.8 mn in 24 districts affected

Lucknow: Uttar Pradesh's flood woes continued as the toll rose to 104 with one more death, while over 2.8 million people are affected as raging waters of the rivers emanating from Nepal caused havoc in vast swathes of land.

Citing a report compiled till Wednesday, the relief commissioner's office in Lucknow said around 300,000 people have taken shelter in relief camps in the affected districts of eastern parts of the state.

"The death toll in the floods has reached 104 in the state, where 3,097 villages in 24 districts are inundated affecting a population of over 2.8 million," it said.

Army choppers, NDRF and PAC (flood) personnel continued relief and rescue operations round the clock in the severely affected areas of the flood-hit districts of the state.

The release of water in the rivers emanating from Nepal and incessant rains impeded rescue work, they said.

Twenty-eight companies of NDRF, 32 companies of PAC (flood) along with two choppers of the Indian Air Force (IAF) and several Army personnel were working round the clock to save lives and properties in the affected areas.

A Central Water Commission report in Lucknow said the Sharda river was flowing above the red mark at Palia Kalan and near the danger mark at Shardanagar while the Ghaghra river was flowing above the red mark at Turtipar in Ballia.

The Rapti river was also flowing well above the red mark at Rigauli and Birdghat in Gorakhpur, while the Quano river was flowing above danger mark at Chandradeep Ghat in Gonda, it said.