14 die in rain-related incidents in Uttar Pradesh

Lucknow: As many as 14 fresh rain-related deaths were reported from across the state, the Uttar Pradesh government said on Sunday. In an official statement, the state government said that six persons died in separate incidents of wall collapse in Fatehpur, Mirzapur, Rae Bareli and Chandauli while three persons perished in Ghazipur due to lightning strike and house collapse.

One person each died in house collapse in Azamgarh, Jaunpur, Ballia and Ayodhya and snakebite claimed one life in Kaushambi. Eight persons were injured in the incidents in Fatehpur, Kaushambi, Ghazipur and Ayodhya. The Central Water Commission's Upper Ganga Basin Organisation, Lucknow in a statement informed that Ghaghra river is flowing above normal at Elginbridge, Ayodhya, and Turtipar in districts of Barabanki, Faizabad and Ballia respectively.

Sharda river is flowing above normal at Paliakalan, Sharda nagar in Lakhimpur Kheri. Ganga river is flowing above severe situation at Ballia and Ghazipur, while Gomti is flowing above normal situation in Jaunpur. Sai river is flowing above normal situation at Rae Bareli.

Meanwhile, train services on the Ballia-Chhapra section of the North Eastern Railway (NER) were disrupted due to heavy rain on Sunday even as efforts were on to resume normal operations by late night, officials said.

"Owing to heavy rain at around 4.15 am, we got information about deposition of mud on the tracks on the Chhapra-Ballia section. This has disrupted rail traffic on the route," Public Relations Officer, NER, Mahesh Gupta said.

Gupta said seven trains on this section have been cancelled and another six diverted, while the long-distance trains are moving on the Chhapra-Bhatni-Mau route.

"Efforts are on to repair the track. Normal traffic will resume by late night," he said. Meanwhile, the meteorological department in a statement issued in Lucknow said rain/thundershowers are "very likely" at a few places in eastern and western Uttar Pradesh on September 30.