Lucknow. Heavy rains and adverse weather that have continued for the last 48 hours in Uttar Pradesh have severely affected life. So far, 56 people have died, 107 animals have been killed and 1,021 houses have been damaged in the state due to excessive rainfall and storm, while 46 people have been injured. In view of the situation, relief and rescue operations have been intensified in the affected districts.
Relief Commissioner Dr. Hrishikesh Bhaskar Yashod interacted with the District Magistrates and Additional District Magistrates of the affected districts on Sunday and reviewed the relief and rescue operations. He directed the officials that the problems of the affected families should be resolved quickly and sensitively and there should not be any negligence at any level in the relief work. The Relief Commissioner directed the District Magistrates to directly communicate with the affected families and personally meet them to get information about their problems.
He said that immediate assistance should be provided to the needy and action should be ensured by setting a time limit for relief and rescue operations. According to the Relief Commissioner, from September 25 to the morning of September 27, 66.5 mm rainfall was recorded in the state, whereas the normal rainfall during this period is 7.6 mm. In this way, rainfall in the state was recorded 775 percent more than normal. Excessive rainfall has been recorded in 56 out of 75 districts of the state.
Farrukhabad recorded 7,385 per cent more rainfall than normal, Kannauj 5,664 per cent, Shahjahanpur 4,408 per cent, Hamirpur 4,240 per cent and Mahoba 4,100 per cent. Sitapur was among the most affected districts in the loss of life due to heavy rains and storm in the last 60 hours, where seven deaths were reported. Five people each died in Lakhimpur Kheri, Bahraich and Balrampur, while four each in Ayodhya and Gorakhpur.
Among the injured, seven people were reported injured in Hardoi, five each in Mainpuri, Shravasti and Barabanki and three each in Sitapur and Lakhimpur Kheri. In case of animal loss, there are reports of death of 28 animals in Hardoi, 16 in Sitapur, 14 in Kannauj, seven each in Bahraich and Kanpur Dehat and six in Unnao. In case of house damage also, there has been huge loss in many districts. 272 houses were damaged in Hardoi, 108 in Sitapur, 75 in Chandauli, 60 in Auraiya, 54 in Gonda, 51 in Hamirpur, 47 in Shahjahanpur and 44 in Bahraich.
The Relief Commissioner has instructed District Magistrates, Additional District Magistrates and disaster experts to stay in the field and monitor the relief and rescue operations. Officials have been asked to distribute relief material and permissible assistance amount on priority basis. He asked to immediately provide the amount of assistance permissible as per rules in cases of loss of life, injuries and house damage. Besides, instructions have been given to alert people about the weather conditions and to send relief and rescue teams to the spot as per the need.
Instructions have also been given to the administration to conduct immediate survey and assessment of crop damage for the farmers affected by the rain. The Relief Commissioner said that action to provide compensation as per rules should be taken on top priority. Instructions have also been given to arrange alternative housing as per requirement for those whose houses have been damaged and to provide benefits of housing schemes to the eligible families. Public representatives have been asked to regularly inform about the relief and rescue operations and the actions of the administration.
Relief Commissioner said that relief and rescue teams are continuously running rescue operations to safely rescue the people trapped in waterlogged areas. Along with taking the rescued people to safe places, necessary relief and assistance is also being provided. The administration has appealed to the people to avoid unnecessary movement in waterlogging and flood affected areas. People have been asked to stay away from areas with fast flowing rivers and drains and follow the guidelines issued by the administration. For emergency assistance, the Relief Commissioner’s Office’s helpline 1070 can be contacted.