Floods spread, bring India to its knees

NEW DELHI: A day after major cities like Mumbai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad and Delhi-NCR hogged the headlines for the waterlogging they faced, attention on Saturday also turned to other parts of the country that have been facing flood-like situations. Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Assam all continue to suffer from floods, while heavy rain in Karnataka pushed parts of downstream Tamil Nadu closer to inundation.
ASSAM
The floods in Assam have affected 19 lakh residents of the state and displaced about 5,00,000 people, who have taken shelter at relief camps.The death toll in the state has reached 25. Floods have also caused massive damage to infrastructure, including roads and bridges. Rising waters have also sparked concerns over the wellbeing of endangered one-horned rhinoceroses in the Kaziranga National Park.
Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh visited Assam on Saturday, and made an aerial survey of flood-hit areas with Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal and Union Minister Jitendra Singh.
BIHAR
Bihar too faced a dire situation in some regions. Continuing heavy rain in the upper reaches has led to flooding in Supaul, Purnia and Kishanganj. So far, there have been 26 flood-related deaths in the state. Rising water levels in the Mahananda River are leading to a spread in the flooding in Katihar, Purnia and Kishanganj.
UTTAR PRADESH
The Uttar Pradesh government has set up 41 relief camps to provide aid and shelter to people who have been affected by flooding. Rain in the upper reaches of rivers that run through the Terai region means water continues to be released from barrages. The floods have meant farmers face the possibility of a total loss of the kharif crop on thousands of acres of land.
TAMIL NADU
Tamil Nadu on the other hand braced for flooding. Alerts have been issued in parts of northwestern Tamil Nadu after dams and barrages in the region received heavy inflows. The inflows continue to rise due to heavy rain in southern Karnataka, that has brought Bengaluru to a halt.
KARNATAKA
A number of low-lying areas continue to be flooded, with Kodichikkanahalli and Bilekahalli among the worst-hit. A number of lakes in the city have breached their banks, compounding the problem in surrounding areas.
MUMBAI
Mumbai continued to received incessant downpour and more rain has been predicted for the city through the weekend. However, traffic seemed to be running smoothly overall even as local trains run late.
GURGAON
Though vehicular movement remained slow in Gurgaon , it was an improvement from the 15-km-long jams of Friday. Repair works were carried out to roads in some parts after water cleared in the morning, but rain returned by late morning.
(With inputs from agencies)
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