UP floods: Over 17,500 evacuated, 26 districts hit

Lucknow: More than 17,500 people have been evacuated to safer places from 26 flood-affected areas in Uttar Pradesh, with no loss of life or livestock reported so far, the state government said on Friday.

According to the office of the Relief Commissioner, around 3.53 lakh people have been affected by the floods. As many as 17,544 people have been moved to safer locations, while 4,847 people are currently staying in relief shelters.

A total of 1,312 flood shelters have been set up across the state, while 1,634 flood outposts, 1,697 boats and motorboats and 1,068 medical teams have been deployed in the affected areas, the government said in a statement issued on Friday.

The relief machinery has distributed 72,897 food relief packets and 3,67,551 lunch packets among affected people. More than 5.52 lakh chlorine tablets and 1.87 lakh ORS packets have also been distributed as part of health and sanitation measures.

More than 5,000 quintals of fodder have been provided for livestock. Over 45,000 animals have been affected by the floods, but no livestock death has been reported, the statement said.

The affected districts are Amroha, Ayodhya, Azamgarh, Badaun, Ballia, Barabanki, Basti, Chandauli, Farrukhabad, Ghazipur, Gonda, Gorakhpur, Hardoi, Kasganj, Kanpur, Lakhimpur Kheri, Mirzapur, Moradabad, Pilibhit, Prayagraj, Raebareli, Rampur, Sant Kabir Nagar, Shahjahanpur, Unnao and Varanasi.

In Chitrakoot, the water level of the Mandakini River has receded to 128 metres from its peak of 135.20 metres recorded on August 29, but authorities continue to monitor the situation and relief operations, the government said.

As many as 688 people have been evacuated to safer locations, while 13,906 people in 36 affected villages have received assistance.

The affected areas include 19 villages in Karwi, seven in Rajapur and 10 in Manikpur.

The administration has distributed 28,803 lunch packets and 2,065 relief kits in the affected areas. Eighteen flood shelters are operational, while 28 medical teams equipped with ambulances and medicines have been deployed.

The government said 653 houses suffered partial damage in the floods. Financial assistance of Rs 7.52 lakh has been transferred to the accounts of 188 affected beneficiaries, while Rs 1.20 lakh has been provided in a case of complete damage. Payments in other cases are being processed.

A 30-member National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) team and two State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) teams comprising 27 personnel have also been deployed in the district. Authorities are conducting crop-loss surveys to assess damage to farmers.

In Ghazipur, police and the administration rescued 12 shepherds and more than 2,000 sheep stranded on an island near Duhia Saraiya as the Ganga River's water level rose.

The rescue operation lasted around six hours. A joint police-administration team reached Dadri Ghat after receiving information late at night and used a night-vision drone to locate the stranded people and animals.

The PAC flood company, police, administrative teams and local boatmen then carried out the rescue operation, in which there was no loss of life, the statement said.

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