UP rains: Flood hits Lakhimpur, Varanasi; Mandakini rises 4 metre above danger

Incessant rain triggered flooding in several parts of Uttar Pradesh on Tuesday, forcing the closure of schools up to Class 8 in Lakhimpur Kheri, disrupting train services and inundating parts of Varanasi, while the Mandakini river in Chitrakoot rose around four metres above the danger mark.

In Varanasi, rising waters of the Ganga flooded several lanes, prompting authorities to deploy boats in waterlogged areas. Cremations at the Manikarnika and Harishchandra ghats were shifted to rooftops and bylanes after water inundated the traditional cremation spots.

According to the Central Water Commission (CWC), the Ganga's water level in Varanasi stood at 70.28 metres at 10 am, above the warning level of 70.26 metres but below the danger mark of 71.262 metres.

The river was rising at a rate of 0.5 cm per hour, the CWC said. The highest-ever recorded water level in Varanasi is 73.901 metres.

Several families affected by waterlogging in areas along the Varuna river had already been evacuated and moved to relief camps, district officials said.

The situation in Lakhimpur Kheri was also affected by rising water levels in the Sharda river, which disrupted train services on the Mailani-Nanpara section.

Water seepage between Bhira and Palia stations led to the suspension of around half a dozen trains.

North Eastern Railway PRO Mahesh Gupta said train services between Mailani, Bichhia and Nanpara would remain suspended until further orders.

Amid heavy rainfall, district basic education officer Pravin Tiwari announced a holiday for all schools up to Class 8 in Lakhimpur Kheri on Tuesday.

The Nepal border areas also remained a concern, with water levels rising in the Mohana and Karnali rivers in the Tikunia area of Nighasan tehsil.

Both rivers originate in Nepal, and their unregulated flow affects several border villages in Kheri, including areas around Dudhwa National Park.

In Chitrakoot, the flood situation worsened as the Mandakini river rose around four metres above the danger mark following heavy rainfall in neighbouring Madhya Pradesh, commissioner of Chitrakoot Dham division Ajit Kumar said.

Kumar and DIG Rajesh S inspected flood-affected areas on Tuesday and reviewed relief and rescue operations.

Several religious sites, including Ramghat and the Nirmohi Akhara, were waterlogged, while people affected by the flooding were shifted to safer locations and provided food and other assistance, Kumar said.

A bridge connecting Ramghat and Nayagaon was damaged, prompting the deployment of police teams on both sides, he said.

SDRF and NDRF teams were involved in rescuing people trapped in floodwaters, while several others were evacuated by Army helicopters, DIG Rajesh said.

Police and administrative officials remained deployed in Pahadi, Rajapur and Manikpur areas of the district as relief and rescue operations continued.