Twelve more people have died in Uttar Pradesh as a result of wall and home collapses, bringing the total number of persons killed by heavy rain in recent days to 24, officials said on Friday.
On Wednesday, the first home collapse was reported. Officials reported that 12 people have died in the state as a result of rain-related accidents as of Thursday.
Officials stated on Friday that wall and home collapses were recorded in Chitrakoot, Pratapgarh, Amethi, and Sultanpur districts, resulting in the deaths of 12 additional people.
On Friday, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath assessed the situation in the state as a result of heavy rainfall and urged officials to expedite relief efforts and provide urgent assistance to those impacted.
In a meeting with senior officials, the chief minister directed for making immediate drainage arrangements in waterlogged localities both in the urban and rural areas besides all necessary arrangements to prevent the spread of infectious diseases, a state government spokesperson said. The chief minister directed the officials of the health department to maintain the availability of all essential medicines and staff, including doctors, paramedics in primary/community health centres and district hospitals, while ensuring fogging and anti-larva spray in urban and rural areas.
He also instructed for extending permissible financial assistance to the affected persons promptly, the spokesperson said.
In view of the continued rains, Adityanath had on Thursday directed the closure of all educational institutions, including schools and colleges, for two days on September 17 and 18. The schools will now reopen on Monday.
Meanwhile, Uttar Pradesh recorded 40.3 mm of rain in the last 24 hours, UP Relief Commissioner Ranvir Prasad said. A senior official said no district in the state was on red alert and Prayagraj and Pratapgarh districts on orange alert on Friday evening. “All other districts have either green or yellow alert,” said the official.
A total of 33 districts recorded more than 25 mm rain in the last 24 hours. Azamgarh (215 mm) recorded the highest rainfall followed by Ayodhya (178.2 mm), Sitapur (135 mm), Kannauj (134 mm) and Barabanki (133.1 mm).
As per a statement issued by Prasad, total 506 villages in 13 districts were affected by floods. Of these villages, 473 villages were in Gorakhpur, according to the statement.
“There are a total of 12 districts which have received more than 120 per cent of rainfall, with 38 receiving normal rain between 80 and 120 per cent, and the rest less than 80 per cent in the last 24 hours,” said the statement.
According to the Irrigation department, the Ganga in Badaun, the Sharda river in Ballia, the Rapti river in Gorakhpur and the Kuwano river in Gonda were flowing above the danger mark, said the statement.
