KANPUR: Flooding caused by the swelling Pandu river has brought life to a standstill in parts of Kanpur and neighbouring Kanpur Dehat, with nearly 40,000 people and more than 1,000 houses affected.Streets in some areas are submerged under 5-7 feet of water, while water has entered houses up to six feet.Several families have evacuated, while some residents remain stranded on rooftops or have taken shelter under plastic sheets, news agency PTI reported.At the Kanpur Barrage, the upstream water level was recorded at 114.200 metres, crossing the warning mark of 114 metres and nearing the danger level of 115 metres, Kanpur District Magistrate Jitendra Pratap Singh told PTI.The downstream level stood at 113.930 metres, while the discharge was recorded at 3,59,202 cusecs, against the danger-level discharge of 5,44,373 cusecs, he said.
Families evacuated as homes, huts submerged
Floodwaters have entered several residential areas. In Varun Vihar, low-lying houses have been inundated and some huts damaged.Water has entered tin-roofed structures up to five feet, forcing displaced families to set up shelters using plastic sheets along the Gujaini canal with only essential belongings, PTI reported.During an inspection, senior officials saw children eating whatever food was available and women washing utensils near water tankers.Livestock was also being kept alongside families in the makeshift shelters.The administration has set up a relief camp in Barra-8 for residents of Mayapuram, Ravidaspuram and Varun Vihar. The district magistrate and local MLA Surendra Maithani distributed relief material among affected families.
NDRF rescues hundreds in Pipauri
In Pipauri village, more than 200 houses have been affected.The NDRF launched rescue operations after the river rose rapidly on Thursday night and evacuated hundreds of residents. Water has entered some houses up to six feet, with rescue operations continuing, PTI reported.The district magistrate inspected Pipauri three days ago, while sub-divisional magistrate (Sadar) Anubhav Singh surveyed the inundated areas by motorboat for about an hour.In Bihari Purwa in Bidhnu block, a school has been submerged under nearly six feet of water, while several lanes are under 8-10 feet of water.Some residents have moved to safer locations, while those unable to leave have taken shelter on rooftops covered with plastic sheets.
Floodwaters cut off Bikru-Shivli route
The flooding has also cut off the Bikru-Shivli route after a makeshift bridge was submerged.The Pandu is flowing 2-3 feet above the bridge, forcing residents of Bikru, Takipur Devkali, Kanjati, Kanshiram Purwa, Bachipur and Sakhrej to take a longer route to reach Shivli market.Several villages in the Shivli area, including Majhihar, Mogra, Ramgarh, Singhpur Shivli, Bakaspurwa, Hardiya Nala, Kailai and Mawaiya, have also reported waterlogging.Agriculture has also been affected.Around 250 bighas of paddy and millet crops have been submerged in Bhagga Niwada, residents Sonu Singh, Govardhan Singh and Jaichand Singh said.Water has also entered low-lying areas and agricultural fields in Kheda Kursi village in Rasulabad.
Temples surrounded by floodwaters
In Gangadin Niwada, the Ram Dham temple is surrounded by water, forcing devotees to wade through dirty water to offer prayers, villagers Bhola Awasthi and Dipendra Mishra said.Similarly, the Ganesh temple at Kursi Kheda near Torna market has been engulfed by floodwaters.Residents are concerned about difficulties during Ganesh Mahotsav and other upcoming religious events if the water does not recede soon, villager Monti Dixit said.In Rasulabad, sub-divisional magistrate Abhishek Kumar and Tehsildar Pankaj Upadhyay, along with revenue officials, visited villages along the river on Saturday and assessed the situation.Villagers were informed about a relief centre at the primary school in Paliya-Bans Kheda, where people can be shifted if the situation worsens, Kumar said.
Health teams step up disease-control measures
The administration has also intensified health and sanitation measures in flood-affected areas.The district magistrate directed officials to maintain special surveillance, organise health camps and carry out fogging and vector-control measures.During an inspection of the flood-hit Mardanpur village in Bidhnu block, Community Health Centre superintendent Neeraj Sachan said daily health camps were being organised and source-reduction activities undertaken.Health teams are examining residents, including those with fever, and providing medicines as required.In urban areas, evening fogging is being conducted, while bleaching powder is being spread in rural areas. Indoor space spraying and larvicidal treatment of drains are also being carried out.The administration has also ordered entomological surveys, larval-control measures and awareness campaigns in the affected areas, officials said.(With agency inputs)
