Several residential areas in Uttar Pradesh’s Varanasi have been inundated after the water level of the River Ganga surged on Thursday following continuous heavy rainfall, severely disrupting daily life and causing hardships for residents.
Prakash Ram, a resident of one of the affected areas, told ANI, “It’s flooded… We’re facing a lot of difficulties. You’ve come here with food and water, but no one else has. We’ve been stuck for the past 5–6 days. We can’t go outside and have to wait for boats to move around.”
Social worker Kishan, who has been helping in relief efforts, said, “This is the second consecutive day we are providing relief materials in flood-affected areas with support from the NDRF. I want to urge people across Uttar Pradesh—social service organisations, political parties, everyone—to step up and help those trapped in the floods.”
He added, “Many people are stranded, including children who lack access to basic facilities. We appeal to the government to ensure that relief reaches every affected individual. People we spoke to said they’ve been stranded for six days, yet no proper aid has arrived.”
Pankaj Kumar Tiwari, in-charge of the SDRF team, confirmed that rescue and relief operations are ongoing. Speaking to ANI, he said, “People are trapped in submerged houses. We are rescuing them and moving them to relief camps. Essential supplies are being provided. Our teams have been patrolling continuously for the last 4–5 days to ensure help reaches everyone.”
Earlier, another resident, Mandakini Prakash, raised concerns about water contamination, stating, “This is drain water, not river water. It causes dengue and other diseases. First, transportation was disrupted, and now the risk of illness is growing. We want these problems resolved as soon as possible.”
Surender Mishra also pointed out that the flood has disrupted students’ studies and daily life. “Due to waterlogging, no one can go out. Even food isn’t being cooked because vegetable vendors can’t reach us. It’s the first time in 3–4 years that this area has seen such severe flooding,” he said.
Elsewhere in the state, Moradabad witnessed heavy waterlogging due to incessant rain, and floodwaters entered residential areas in Prayagraj as the river crossed the danger mark.
(ANI)
