Flash floods wreak havoc in North

New Delhi: Heavy rains and flash floods wreaked havoc across north India. More than 30 people have been killed and thousands have been displaced as swelling rivers and landslides destroy farmlands and crumble homes. Districts in Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Bihar and Assam have been the worst affected.

“In all, around 1,000 to 1,500 villages have been affected. A round-the-clock vigil is being maintained. Although the army has not been called in, it has been informed that its help may be required,” Chief Secretary Alok Ranjan said.

Ranjan said that the worst hit is Bahraich where 202 villages have been affected by floods and 14 lives lost so far. “As requested, an NDRF team is working in Bahraich. For villages in the interior, we have requested two helicopters from the army for rescue and relief work,” he said.

In Uttarakhand, Home Minister Rajnath Singh reached Dehradun on Sunday to review the situation. Heavy rains have claimed 27 lives so far in the region but according to reports the situation is improving.

Home Minister Rajnath Singh, who is on a two-day visit to the state, reviewed the steps taken by the state government to deal with the aftermath of last year’s natural calamity. Singh assured that the Centre would provide all possible help to address concerns of the state government and the people in general.

In Bihar, the water levels of the Kosi river have caused flooding many villages along its course. The state government has requested the Army to be on standby. Nine districts of Bihar have been hit by flood which has claimed two lives so far and affected around four lakh people. Darbhanga, Nalanda, West Champaran, Supaul, Saharasa, Nawada, Sheikhpura, Sitamarhi and Patna district have been affected by flood, a senior DMD official said.

In Assam, too, vast tracts of land in the northern part of the state and the Kaziranga national park have been inundated.

Even as the central government has promised support to all states, thousands still await rescue and relief. Their sorrow and distress is far from over, and more than the anger that prevails amongst the residents, is a sense of helplessness that looms large.