At least 12 more dead in UP rains; IMD forecasts downpour to continue

Twelve more people were killed and fourteen injured in overnight rain-related incidents in Uttar Pradesh, a senior official said Tuesday.

According to reports, three people were killed each in Gonda and Kushinagar districts, two in Mirzapur and one person died each in Bahraich, Sitapur, Meerut and Etah, Relief Commissioner Sanjay Kumar told reporters.

"Twelve people were killed and 14 injured in rain-related incidents, including in lightning strike, since Monday night," he said.

In this period, as many as 226 houses/huts were damaged and three head of cattle died, he said.

The Meteorological Department has forecast heavy rains at isolated places on Wednesday.

Meanwhile, light to moderate rains and thundershowers were recorded this morning at most places in eastern Uttar Pradesh.

Najibabad (Bijnor) recorded 10 cm rainfall, followed by Bikapur, Gautam Budh Nagar (9 cm each); Unnao, Musafirkhana and Ayodhya (8 cm each); Akbarpur, Jaunpur, Churk, Gyanpur, Meerut and Sambhal (7 cm each).

UP flood death toll hits 325 as rainfall intensifies; major rivers in spate

Big rivers are in spate and more than a dozen districts flooded following heavy rainfall in Uttar Pradesh and the adjoining hilly regions over the past few days even as the death toll in the current monsoon season has increased to 325.

More than 21 people have reportedly died over the last 48 hrs in flood-related incidents, including drowning and wall collapse, across the state, including Shahjahanpur, Amethi and Auraiya districts.

Monsoon activity, which had started to slow down, however, regained momentum over the past week, inundating large parts of the agricultural and inhabited land. The government had already deployed columns of National Disaster Relief Force (NDRF), State Disaster Relief Force (SDRF), and Provincial Armed Constabulary (PAC) in the flood relief and rescue operations in the worst-affected areas.

Indian Air Force (IAF) choppers were pressed into service to rescue people stranded in marooned pockets of Lalitpur and Jhansi districts, which are arid zones but have received a good amount of rainfall this year.