PRAYAGRAJ: Floodwaters from the rising Ganga and Yamuna rivers have started entering low-lying areas along their banks in Prayagraj following sustained rainfall, causing difficulties for thousands of residents in flood-prone localities, officials said on Monday.
Residents of areas including Chhota Baghada and Rajapur said waterlogging had made it difficult to move out of their houses, while concerns were also being raised over children’s access to schools and the possibility of aquatic animals entering homes.
District Magistrate Manish Kumar Verma said water levels in both rivers had increased sharply over the past two days, resulting in flooding in areas close to the riverbanks.
An alert has been issued for settlements along the rivers, while National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) teams have visited affected and vulnerable areas, including Baghada and Rajapur, he said.
“As a precautionary measure, relief camps have been activated. Anyone who feels the need to move to a relief camp can do so,” Verma said.
The district magistrate, however, said the rising water had not yet affected densely populated areas. He added that the administration was closely monitoring the situation in rural areas and had made arrangements to respond if conditions worsened.
Ram Sumiran, a resident of Chhota Baghada, said persistent rainfall over the past several weeks had already disrupted normal life and the arrival of floodwaters had further restricted people’s movement.
In Rajapur, Umesh Pratap Singh said water had spread through the low-lying parts of the locality, affecting daily activities and making it difficult for children to attend school.
“It appears that this problem may continue for the next 15-20 days,” he said.