Thousands of people are moving to higher ground as colonies in Prayagraj are flooded

The water level in the Ganges and Yamuna has started rising since Friday and is increasing with each passing hour.

While the Ganges is rising at a rate of 10 cm per hour, the Yamuna is rising at a rate of 10 cm every four hours, officials said.

Residents of the areas on the banks of the Ganga including Chhota Baghada, Beli Gaon, Rajapur, Salori, Myorabad, Ganga Nagar have moved their belongings to safer places or to the upper floors of their houses. Thousands of families are taking shelter in the houses of their friends and relatives. Bodies are being cremated on the road after Daraganj Cremation Ghat was flooded. A similar situation is taking place at Rasulabad cremation ghat too.

Meanwhile, residents of low-lying areas on the banks of the Yamuna are also facing a similar situation. Thousands of residents of the slum area in Gaughat, as well as in Gadda Colony, Bajupur, Azad Nagar and other areas of Kareli are shifting their possessions to safer places.

The district administration is on alert following the floods and has sent teams to various places where water has entered colonies and houses. Relief camps have been set up to provide shelter to families affected by the rise in water levels in rivers.

The water level in the Ganga and Yamuna rivers is rising towards the danger mark (84,734 mtr) but the rate of rise has decreased in the last 24 hours. At Phaphamau, the Ganga was rising at a rate of 20 cm per hour but on Sunday morning it came down to 6.92 cm per hour. At Naini, the rate of rise in the Yamuna has decreased. The Yamuna has risen to 4.75 cm per hour.

On Sunday evening at 4 pm, the water level in the Ganga at Phaphamau was 83.92 metres, up 4 cm in the last four hours. In Chhatnag, the water level in the Ganga was 83.14 metres at 4 pm, up 5 cm in the last four hours.

At Naini, the water level in the Yamuna was 83.78 m at 4 pm and had risen by 7 cm in the last four hours.

Flood water enters Tharwai power substation

Floodwaters breached a power substation in Tharwai on Sunday, threatening power supplies to about 70 villages across the Ganges.

Tharwai Power Substation is located in Godwa village near Mansaita River. During every flood, it gets flooded and the equipment stops working.

Residents Amar Bahadur, Ratan Singh, Mahendra Giri and others said that the power department officials claim that they are looking for an alternative site for the substation when it is flooded, but the issue is being postponed until the flood water recedes. Residents of 70 villages are suffering due to the negligence of the power department, they said.

Meanwhile, trans-Ganga executive engineer SB Thakur inspected the substation and issued instructions to connect the affected villages to the Soraon substation for supply of electricity. The executive engineer said that letters have been sent to the Soraon tehsil, but the land for the substation is yet to be provided.

Boats implemented

The district administration has sent 27 boats to the areas affected by the rising water levels. Six boats have been sent to Badra Sonauti village in Phulpur, one boat to Bhagwsar Delhi in Karachhana, three to Daraganj, 10 to Baghada and seven to Rajapur.

Officials said 254 families in Sadar tehsil, including 1,130 people from 15 villages, are staying in seven shelters. Fifteen families, who are staying in their homes in flooded areas, are receiving material assistance. In Prayagraj district, 795 families (5,075) people are affected by the floods.

Seven flood relief camps have been set up at the following places: Annie Beasant School Elanganj, Rishikul Rajapur, Swami Vivekanand College Ashok Nagar, Cantt High School Sadar Bazar, Saint Joseph’s Girls School Mumfordganj, Unity Public School Kareli and Mahbub Ali College in Beli.