Flood situation grim in Uttar Pradesh

Lucknow, Aug 22  Flood situation in several districts of Uttar Pradesh remained grim on Monday as the raging Ganga continues its devastation in Ballia while affecting more than a lakh of people in Varanasi.

Officials said the rising water level in Ballia has broken the record of 2003 when it reached a height of 60.250 metre. 

More than 20 per cent of the city of Allahabad has been flooded, leading to widespread problems. The district administration has rolled out rescue and relief operations as a large number of people have been displaced from their houses. 

Officials told IANS that boats have been pressed into service in areas where flood waters have entered the city and people are being evacuated.

Several rivers in central Uttar Pradesh and the Bundelkhand region are also flowing well above the danger mark and the Mahoba-Jhansi road has been washed away after the Urmil dam overflowed late on Sunday. Seven persons have been killed in this region in rain-related mishaps. 

Many roads in Ballia and on NH-31 near Ramgarh are inundated.