Rivers were in spate in multiple districts of Uttar Pradesh, where 27 districts were declared flood-affected, the state government said on Friday
As per an update by the irrigation department, the Ganga was flowing above the danger mark in Badaun, Farrukhabad and Ballia districts; the Yamuna was flowing above the danger level in Mathura; the Ramganga in Shahjahanpur; the Sharda in Lakhimpur Kheri; the Ghaghra in Barabanki, Ayodha and Ballia.
According to data from the UP relief commissioner’s office, 874 villages were under floodwaters, which have impacted 3,81,655 people and 39,314 hectares of agricultural land.
“Due to the floods, 1,076 houses have been damaged and compensation has been given to 854 houseowners. The government has established 878 flood shelters, and 7,547 flood victims have been shifted there. As many as 10,493 flooof victims have been moved to safety from marooned villages,” said relief commissioner Bhanu Chandra Goswami said in a statement on Friday.
Water levels in the Ganga, the Yamuna and the Chambal, which pass through the Braj region, are likely to rise further following the continuous discharge of water from key barrages. To add to the trouble, the region has been receiving heavy rains.
Mathura district magistrate CP Singh claimed that the situation was under control as the district saw similar flooding in 2023. About 25 shelter homes have been set up and are functioning at full capacity.
With 3.29 lakh cusecs of water released from Hathini Kund barrage in Yamunanagar, Haryana and Okhla barrage in Delhi, the water level continued to flow above danger level in Mathura.
As such, 1.77 lakh cusecs of water were being released from Gokul barrage in Mathura, which in turn is reaching Agra.
In Vrindavan, residents of low-lying areas were relocated to higher ground as the Yamuna submerged them and entered Parikrama Marg on Friday.
Yamuna waters also entered Bateshwar, a series of Shiva temples along its banks.