Families flee rising waters as rains batter UP

Lucknow: Relentless rains have turned life upside down in large parts of Uttar Pradesh. In 18 districts, floodwaters have crept into homes, fields and streets, forcing thousands of families to abandon their houses.

Official figures say 774 homes have already collapsed, but the real story is written on the faces of those carrying bundles of belongings on their heads, wading through waist-deep water with children and cattle in tow. In Prayagraj, where the Ganga and Yamuna are swelling for the fourth time in two months, entire neighbourhoods stand deserted. More than 5,000 houses in low-lying areas are locked, their residents taking shelter on higher ground. In some places, water has risen to the first floor. “There is no drinking water, no electricity, no school for our children. We are surviving on dry food packets,” said Ramesh Patel, a resident of Daraganj.