13 UP districts flooded; Ganga, Yamuna, Betwa rivers breach danger levels

Incessant rains have triggered flooding in 13 districts of Uttar Pradesh, with major rivers including the Ganga, Yamuna and Betwa flowing above the danger mark, officials confirmed on Monday, reports PTI.

According to the Relief Commissioner’s office, the Ganga is flowing above the danger level in Varanasi, Mirzapur, Ghazipur, and Ballia. At the same time, the Yamuna has crossed critical levels in Auraiya, Kalpi, Hamirpur, Prayagraj, and Banda. Betwa is also above the danger mark in Hamirpur.

Heavy rains lashed 24 districts on Sunday, with the state recording 14.2 mm of rainfall. Districts currently affected by floods include Prayagraj, Jalaun, Auraiya, Mirzapur, Varanasi, Kanpur Dehat, Banda, Etawah, Fatehpur, Kanpur city and Chitrakoot.

In Varanasi, the Ganga crossed the danger mark of 71.262 metres on Monday morning, reaching 72.1 metres. Rising water has submerged all ghats, prompting the relocation of cremations and religious rituals to rooftops and raised platforms. Shivam Agrahari of Ganga Seva Nidhi confirmed that the popular Dashashwamedh ghat aarti is now being conducted from elevated locations. Boat movement has been banned, and NDRF teams are actively patrolling the affected areas.

In Prayagraj, both the Ganga and Yamuna have been above danger levels since Saturday, with over 200 villages and 60 urban localities submerged. At 8 am on Monday, the Yamuna stood at 86.04 metres in Naini, while the Ganga reached 86.03 metres in Phaphamau. As a safety measure, schools have suspended classes, and flood relief camps have been established.

A total of 107 wards and areas under Sadar tehsil, including Rajapur, Beli Kachhar, Chandpur Salori, Govindpur, Chhota Baghada and Bada Baghada, have been inundated. In rural regions, affected areas include 18 villages in Phulpur, eight in Soraon, 12 in Meja, eight in Bara and six in Handia tehsils.