The death toll in one of the most devastating floods in Uttar Pradesh rose to 49 as the situation turned grim on Monday with the rampaging Ghagra, Saryu, Sharda and Rapti rivers swallowing more areas in Bahraich, Shravasti, Lakhimpur Kheri, Sitapur, Barabanki, Faizabad and Balrampur districts. Already about 700 villages have been marooned and with roads being washed away, a close watch was being kept on the Sitapur-Bahraich, Sitapur-Barabanki and Barabanki-Bahraich highways, where the flow of vehicular traffic has been restricted.
Chief Secretary Alok Ranjan, who reviewed the situation with officials, issued instructions for keeping a round-the-clock vigil. A control room was set up at the Relief Commissioner’s office in the State capital. The control room (0522-2237515, fax numbers — 0522-2238084, 0522-2236305) will function 24 hours till September 30.
Mr. Atoria said 68,000 people had been hit by the floods in Shravasti district.
The number of people displaced by the floods in other districts was 43,301 in Gonda, 40,000 in Lakhimpur Kheri district, 59,844 in Barabanki and 49,610 in Sitapur district.
Bahraich was the worst-affected district where a population of around a lakh in over 200 villages had been affected.
