Lucknow, Sept 13: Flood situation in parts of Uttar Pradesh continued to be grim with a swollen Ganga and incessant rains wreaking havoc in Varanasi and Mirzapur claiming 49 lives since yesterday taking the toll to 181 this monsoon. Ganga has inundated large areas of eastern UP, with Varanasi and Mirzapur districts the worst-affected, forcing the closure of National Highway and affecting rail services. Army is engaged in relief and rescue operations in these areas. Continuous rainfall coupled with house collapse and lightning in different parts of the state have claimed 49 lives in the past 24 hours, official sources said adding the toll in the state mounted to 181 even as the authorities confirmed 143 deaths. While 18 people were killed in Etah, seven each were killed in Hardoi and Firozabad, six in Mainpuri, five in Farrukhabad and three each in Varanasi and Fatehpur, reports said.

The Relief Commissioner, A K Singh said here that the breach in the Mahuval-Garhwal embankment in Azamgarh was plugged with the help of army and affected people shifted to safer places.

The number of districts affected by floods has gone upto 33 with as many as 1168 villages marooned in flood waters, official sources said. Bureau Report