Rivers swell, flood threat in twin districts

LUCKNOW: Flood threat looms large over Lakhimpur Kheri and Balrampur, with rivers Sharda and Rapti breaching the danger mark on Monday.
Rivers Ganga and Ramganga also continued to swell in several parts of the state. The situation, however, improved slightly on Monday as rivers in various places showed a receding trend.
On Monday, Sharda at Palia Kalan in Lakhimpur Kheri was at least 0.6 metres above the red mark, but the water level was stable.Rapti, which was recorded at 0.3 metres above the danger mark, continued to rise in Balrampur. Ganga showed a rising trend in Kanpur Dehat, Farrukhabad, Kannauj, Ghazipur and Ballia. In a welcome relief from last week, the river ebbed in Kanpur city, Allahabad and Varanasi.
UP irrigation department has been monitoring the water level of at least 20 rivers in the state since June. The rivers have been on a rising spree since July 3. Ganga, Ramganga, Betwa, Ken, Chambal, Gomti, Yamuna, Gandak, Kuaon, Rohini, Rapti, Ghaghra, Suheli, Sharda, Kunhara , Saryu Babai, Boodhi Rapti and Chhoti Gandak are the major rivers under constant monitoring in the state.
Ramganga was rising at all the four monitoring stations in Moradabad, Bareilly, Bijnor and Shahjahanpur, while Yamuna was on the rise in Agra.