Flood situation in UP grim

Lucknow, Sept 11: Unrelenting rain in several parts has worsened the flood situation in Uttar Pradesh where 70 lives have been lost so far, many villages marooned and crops worth lakhs of rupees damaged, official sources said today. Seventy lives have been claimed by rain-related incidents like house collapse and drowning so far, State Relief Commissioner A K Singh said.
However, unofficial reports put the death toll at 100.
With many rivers in spate, 2,124 villages in 25 districts, have been affected by the flood, the sources said adding 519 villages have been marooned.

A population of 17.43 lakh and an area of 3.72 lakh hectare had been affected by the floods, which has also damaged crops worth Rs. 508.84 lakh, they said.

Singh said that Rs. 56.32 lakh had so far been disbursed as relief among the flood victims in the state and rescue operations were continuing in full swing.

Flood waters of Ganga, Ghaghra, Betwa, Mandakini and ken rivers, which are in spate, had inundated large areas in Ballia, Chitrakoot, Banda, Hamirpur districts forcing people to take shelter at safer places, the sources said.
District Mmagistrate (Ballia) Ram Kumar told a news agency that the army has been put on alert to assist the civil administration. Bureau Report