Lucknow, August 18
Floods have claimed 48 lives in Uttar Pradesh with several rivers flowing above danger mark posing threat to more than 1,000 villages. The rivers are in spate after release of water from dams in Nepal. Almost all major rivers — Sharda, Ghaghra, Saryu and Rapti — were wreaking havoc in Bahraich, Shravasti, Lakhimpur Khiri, Balrampur and Gonda districts in UP.

The worst affected was Baharich where the swollen Ghaghra has claimed 14 lives. Thirteen persons were killed in neighbouring Shravasti while three deaths were reported in Sitapur's Reusa block.

The Army was assisting in the relief and rescue operations. Two helicopters and a National Disaster Response Force team were pressed into service to rescue marooned villagers . Around 17,000 persons have been moved to relief camps. The state government has asked district officials to remain in constant touch with the affected people and also warned that no laxity in the relief works would be tolerated.

Chief Secretary Alok Ranjan has asked Principal Secretary Revenue to take reports of the flood situation on a daily basis and apprise officials and the government of the same.

A total of 117 villages in two tehsils of Shravasti district, having a population of 60,000, have been affected by floods.

In Bahraich, Chief Revenue officer, U S Upadhyay said level of water of Saryu river has come below the danger mark while river Ghaghra was still flowing about the danger mark.

Rising water level of river Ghaghra also posed a threat to rail and road traffic. Traffic at National Highway 28 was affected after flood waters submerged the roads near Ganeshpur.

A state government spokesperson said Rs 51 crore have been released for flood relief measures. The level of Ganga was rising dramatically in western UP with flood-like situation in Bijnore and Muzzafarnagar districts.

PTI adds: So far 14 districts in Assam have been affected by the current wave of flood that has claimed three lives besides inundating vast tracts of cropland and hundreds of villages.

The flood waters of Brahmaputra have submerged about 70 per cent of the core area of Kaziranga National Park forcing the animals to cross the National Highway 37 (New 715) located on south of the park to highlands.

Flood waters have inundated Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary near Guwahati. The wildlife habitat is known for the highest concentration of one-horned rhinoceros on the globe. According to official sources, about four lakh people have been affected by the flood in 14 of the districts of the state. Lakhimpur and Dhemaji in eastern Assam on the north bank of the Brahmaputra River are the worst affected districts where the water level of Brahmaputra and its tributaries is flowing over the red mark.