Rain wreaks havoc in UP, claims 16 lives in 24 hours

LUCKNOW: Heavy rain continued to lash several districts of the state for the fourth consecutive day on Sunday, in what is the longest delayed withdrawal of monsoon, claiming at least 16 lives in last 24 hours.


Relief commissioner's office told TOI, rain-related incidents claimed three lives in Ghazipur , two each in Ambedkarnagar and Varanasi and one each in Azamgarh , Mirzapur, Jaunpur, Ballia , Fatehpur, Ayodhya, Rae Bareli, Chandauli and Kaushambi, in last 24 hours.

In east UP alone, at least 29 people have died in 72 hours in incidents of house collapse.

At least 13 casualties, including four each in Mirzapur and Ghazipur, two each in Azamgarh and Ballia, and one in Mau, were reported on Saturday.

Earlier, on September 27 as many as 13 deaths including five in Chandauli, four in Varanasi, two in Bhadohi and one each in Jaunpur and Azamgarh were reported.

ADM (finance and revenue) and nodal officer for natural disaster in Varanasi Satish Pal said total 504 houses, including 194 in Sadar, 165 in Rajatalab and 145 in Pindra tehsil areas of the district have collapsed since Thursday.

The state has been receiving incessant rains since Thursday.On Friday, UP received highest rainfall which was 1700% above normal.

Met department has predicted "very heavy rainfall" for next two days in parts of the state.

Chief minister Yogi Adityanath has directed divisional commissioners and district magistrates to extend immediate relief to people in affected areas.

Train services were also disrupted on Ballia-Chhapra section of the North Eastern Railway (NER) after land around tracks between Ballia and Bansdih stations caved in on Sunday. As many as seven trains were cancelled, five were diverted and one was short-terminated.