Floods hit 31 UP districts: 14,000 affected in Chitrakoot, thousands evacuated

Scores of villages in Uttar Pradsh's Chitrakoot district have been flooded due to a sudden surge in the Mandakini river, prompting authorities to evacuate residents to safer locations, officials said.

The river's water level in the district bordering Madhya Pradesh on Wednesday was 129.2 meters. At least 14,000 residents in 36 villages of the district have been affected by the floods, it is learnt.

Of these, 19 villages are in Karwi tehsil, 10 villages in Manikpur and seven villages in Rajapur tehsil. Floodwaters have entered houses and shops in several areas, forcing residents to move to higher ground.

In places where roads have been submerged and vehicles can no longer move, boats are being used to evacuate residents and transport them to safer locations. The rising water has disrupted normal life, with residents facing difficulties in moving between villages and even accessing essential supplies.

Authorities continue to monitor the flood situation while rescue and relief operations remain underway. The administration is also distributing cooked food packets and ration kits to the affected people.

People requiring medical attention were also examined and provided necessary treatment. Besides the local administration and police, teams of Provincial Armed Constabulary (PAC), NDRF and SDRF have been deployed for flood relief.

Using motorboats, the teams are reaching stranded residents to provide help. Officials said nearly 500 houses suffered partial damage due to the floods and the process to provide compensation in 205 such cases has been initiated, officials said.

The money is being transferred directly into the bank accounts of those affected, they said, adding payments in the remaining cases will also be expedited. The families whose houses were completely destroyed would be provided accommodation under the Chief Minister’s Housing Scheme.

Chitrakoot District Magistrate Pulkit Garg said the Mandakini water level was being monitored closely and officials had been directed to ensure there is no delay in relief material delivery, uploading details of eligible beneficiaries and processing compensation claims.

Currently, there is a flood-like situation in at least 31 districts of UP, with 22 districts battling inundation. The rescue and relief efforts continue, and authorities have evacuated 1,528 people to safer locations.

The affected districts include Ayodhya, Azamgarh, Ballia, Barabanki, Badaun, Chandauli, Chitrakoot, Farrukhabad, Ghazipur, Gorakhpur, Hapur, Hardoi, Kasganj, Lakhimpur Kheri, Mirzapur, Moradabad, Prayagraj, Sant Kabir Nagar, Shahjahanpur, Sitapur, Unnao and Varanasi, among others.

At least 742 flood-relief posts have been set up in the affected districts, while 452 boats and motorboats and 225 medical teams are engaged in rescue and relief work. Also, 105 relief centres have been made operational to provide shelter to 2,460 people with arrangements for food, medicines and other essential supplies, officials said.

The administration has also made arrangements to protect livestock, supplying around 310 quintals of fodder in affected areas, they added.