UP flood toll rises to 108; situation still grim

With four more deaths, the toll mounted to 108 in the current wave of floods in Uttar Pradesh, where the overall situation remained grim, officials said today.
"The death toll in the floods has reached 108 in the state, where 3,101 villages in 24 districts are inundated affecting a population of over 28 lakh," the relief commissioner's office said here citing a flood report compiled till yesterday.
It said that around 3 lakh people have taken shelter in relief camps in the affected districts, mostly in eastern UP, where there was no let up in flood fury as raging waters of the rivers emanating from Nepal caused havoc in vast swathes of human habitation.

Reports reaching here said that Army choppers, NDRF and PAC (flood) jawans continued relief and rescue operations round the clock in the severely hit areas of the flood affected districts of the state.
Release of water in the rivers emanating from Nepal and incessant rains impeded rescue work and evacuation of people to safer areas, they said.
28 companies of NDRF, 30 companies of PAC (flood) along with two choppers of the Indian Air Force (IAF) and several columns of the Army personnel were working round the clock to save lives and properties in the affected areas.
A Central Water Commission report here said that the Sharda was flowing above the red mark at Palia Kalan and near the danger mark at Shardanagar while Ghaghra was flowing above the red mark at Turtipar (Ballia).

River Rapti was also flowing well above the red mark at Birdghat (Gorakhpur), it said.