UP floods: 303 villages in 19 districts marooned; over 1 lakh families affected

The flood situation in Uttar Pradesh improved slightly on Monday, but 19 districts are still affected and their 303 villages cut off from the other parts of the state, officials said.

The 19 affected districts are: Ambedkar Nagar, Ayodhya, Azamgarh, Bahraich, Ballia, Balrampur, Barabanki, Basti, Deoria, Gonda, Gorakhpur, Kheri, Kushinagar, Maharajganj, Mau, Sant Kabir Nagar, Pilibhit, Siddharth Nagar and Sitapur, they said.

Relief Commissioner Sanjay Goyal said a total of 582 villages in the 19 districts are affected and 303 of these villages have got marooned.

On Sunday, a total of 20 districts in the state were affected by the flood. Pratapgarh has been dropped from the Monday list of affected districts.

Also, on Monday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi interacted with chief ministers of six affected states, including Uttar Pradesh, to discuss the flood situation.

Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath informed the PM that though the state received 10.4% less rainfall between June 1 and August 8, four rivers -- Ghaghra , Rapti, Sharda and Gandak -- crossed the red mark due to 20% excess rainfall in 15 districts of the state's eastern region, parts of Uttarakhand and the neighbouring country Nepal, according to the relief commissioner.

As many as 1,04 562 families and 38,248 hectare of agricultural land have been affected in the 19 flood-hit districts, the CM said.

The chief minister also said that excess water damaged three embankments in Azamgarh, Mau and Gonda, but they have now been mended.

The Prime Minister stressed on maximum use of technology to reduce losses because of floods and assured all possible help to deal with the situation, the Relief Commissioner said.

The CM has directed officials to ensure proper social distancing norm in flood shelters set up in the affected areas, besides keeping vigil on release of water in the embankments, Goyal said, adding the overall situation was under control.

Government media statements have not mentioned any flood-related deaths so far this year.