Flood situation rings alarm bells

LUCKNOW: As the flood situation due to heavy rainfall in certain parts of the state set the alarm bells ringing, district magistrates have now been asked to recruit the help of the PAC and army to evacuate people to safer grounds.
The administration is taking all necessary precautionary steps in the eventuality of a breach in the river embankments.
The swelling waters have already wrecked havoc in 27 districts and claimed 75 lives, besides the displacement of a population of about 20 lakh people.
The Relief commissioner Anant Kumar Singh has asked the DMs of the affected areas to personally supervise the flood relief measures. In Ballia and Behraich, the DMs have been asked to constantly monitor the situation and evacuate the people to safer places with the help of the army.
For the flood affected and flood prone areas, Singh has issued instructions to the DMs to send a flood report to the government.
The relief commissioner said that the floods have left 550 villages marooned. So far a total 1250 houses had collapsed and 4085 houses had been partially damaged.