Floods in UP | 11 killed in monsoon fury; Ganga flows above danger mark in Varanasi, Prayagraj

Lucknow: Eleven persons, including children, were killed in rain related incidents in Uttar Pradesh in the past 24-hours even as the flood situation in the state worsened with the major rivers in spate and flowing above danger marks at various places and flood waters entering residential areas.

According to the reports, two teens were killed in Sitapur district when the walls of their house collapsed amid heavy rains on Monday morning. Nine deaths were reported from other places in the past 24-hours in rain related incidents.

Schools were closed in the state capitol Lucknow and several other districts in the wake of heavy rains, sources said.

Ganga was flowing above the danger mark in Varanasi, Prayagraj and other places. The Namo Ghat was closed for the public in Varanasi after being inundated by flood waters. Several roads in the town were flooded.

Reports said that cremation of bodies at the iconic Manikarnika Ghat in Varanasi was affected after it was submerged following rise in the water level of Ganga.

Official sources said that as many as 402 villages in 17 districts, including Agra, Chitrakoot, Lakhimpur Kheri, Ballia, Banda, Ghazipur, Chandauli, Jalaun, Etawah, were affected by the flood.

Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath has directed the officials to provide all possible help to the affected people and deployed his ministers in all the flood affected districts.

Officials said that around 500 boats and motorboats have been pressed into service to distribute relief material to the affected people.

The Met office has predicted heavy rains in 15 districts in the state and issued an orange alert there.