Prayagraj

Floodwaters from the rising Ganga and Yamuna have entered low-lying areas along their banks in Prayagraj following continuous rainfall, creating difficulties for thousands of people living in the floodplain, officials said on Monday.

According to residents in areas such as Chhota Baghada and Rajapur, waterlogging had made it difficult to move out of their homes and raised concerns over access to schools and the possible entry of aquatic animals into houses.

"The water level in the Ganga and Yamuna has risen rapidly over the past two days, resulting in water entering areas along the rivers," District Magistrate Manish Kumar Verma said.

An alert has been sounded for areas along the riverbanks, while teams of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) have inspected areas including Baghada and Rajapur, he said.

"As a precautionary measure, relief camps have been activated. Anyone who feels the need to move to a relief camp can do so," Verma said.

He, however, said the rising water level had not so far affected populated areas.

The administration is keeping a close watch on rural areas and is prepared to deal with any situation, the district magistrate said.

Ram Sumiran, a resident of Chhota Baghada, said continuous rainfall over the past several weeks had already made life difficult and the entry of floodwaters had now made it hard for residents to leave their homes.

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Umesh Pratap Singh, who lives in a low-lying area of Rajapur, said floodwaters had spread across the locality, making it difficult for children to attend school.

"It appears that this problem may continue for the next 15-20 days," he said.