Ganga River Rises Amid Heavy Rains, Flood Warnings Issued Across Uttar Pradesh

New Delhi (India) July 17: According to a recent monsoon update, Varanasi has been issued a flood warning. The Ganga River's waters reached a dangerous level. 

The Ganga River quickly rose as a result of the continuous rainfall in northern India. This led to the alert. In many Uttar Pradesh districts, including Varanasi and Prayagraj, flood warnings were issued.

Ghats underwater in Varanasi

According to reports, the Ganga has expanded up and flowing rapidly in Varanasi. The sources state that all 84 of Varanasi's ghats are fully submerged. Authorities have opened eight gates of the Govind Sagar Dam and eighteen gates of the Matatila Dam in Lalitpur due to the current circumstances.

The flooding has impacted normal religious rituals and riverbank activities. It has affected many low-lying sites close to the ghats and submerging more than 80 of them.

According to the flood report for the middle Ganga division by the Central Water Commission, Varanasi's water levels rose by 0.7 meters in a single day.

According to locals, the water level is rising and submerging one ghat step every day.

In Varanasi, the Manikarnika Ghat was totally engulfed. As the river continued to rise, Ram Ghat in Prayagraj also submerged.

Devotees kept away from Ganga Aarti

Daily living, religious rituals at the temples and various riverbank activities have been disrupted by the recent flood-like conditions.

Due to the rising water level, the district government has stopped boating and advised residents and visitors to avoid the ghats.

Inspector Rajkishore Pandey of the water police said that Dashashwamedh Ghat's Ganga Aarti be conducted symbolically. Devotees will not be permitted to see the Aarti from boats due to the rising water level.

Amit Kumar, the sub-divisional magistrate, says that at least 46 aid camps have been constructed throughout the area.

Floodwaters reach Ballia, Sambhal

Now, the Varanasi floods have even reached the Ballia region. The water level of the Ganga stood after reaching 68.95 meters. It is just below the danger threshold of 70.26 meters. 

The Central Water Commission reports that Varanasi's Ganga water level increased from 68.42 meters on Tuesday to 68.94 meters on Wednesday. Ten millimeters per hour is the rate of water rise. 71.262 meters is the designated hazard level.

The river is currently flowing at a dangerous 177.60 meters near Sambhal. This has harmed at least 36 villages.

Sambhal DM Rajender Penaiya said, “The water level in the river Ganga is at 177.60 mtr. In our district, 36 villages get affected by floods. We have established 16 flood control posts and identified 13 shelter homes in these areas. The tender process for flood relief kits has also been completed. We are on alert. The last time a flood situation arose was in 2010” in a statement.

The Ganga river's water levels are also rising in Prayagraj. Water has reached the city's lower areas. It has flooded several homes. As the area's Ganga river level rose, water began to reach Prayagraj's Bade Hanuman Mandir.

Aadrika Tayal