Lucknow: Torrential monsoon rains have unleashed widespread flooding across Uttar Pradesh, leaving at least 14 people dead, displacing thousands, and paralyzing daily life across large swathes of the state. With water levels rising rapidly and rivers breaching danger marks, 17 districts are currently inundated, and relief operations are underway on a war footing.
Among the latest casualties are two teenage girls in Sitapur who were killed early Monday morning when a wall collapsed on them amid heavy downpours. In Budaun district, two brothers — Bhuwanesh, 9, and Navneet, 14 — drowned after entering a waterlogged pit to bathe, unaware of its depth. A third boy was rescued by villagers. These deaths have pushed the state’s rain-related toll to 14 in the last 24 hours.
In eastern Uttar Pradesh, the situation has turned dire as the Ganga River continues to rise in cities like Varanasi and Prayagraj. Over 100,000 homes have been submerged, and cremation grounds — including Varanasi’s sacred Manikarnika and Harishchandra ghats — have been inundated. In a striking image of the city’s distress, bodies are now being cremated 15 feet above the flooded ghats, on rooftops converted into makeshift funeral platforms. Families wait for hours with corpses as soaked firewood delays cremations, and multiple pyres are being lit at once to manage the growing queue.
Floodwaters have reached all 84 ghats in Varanasi, forcing over 10,000 shopkeepers to relocate. Narrow lanes near Harishchandra Ghat are now hosting cremations alongside homes. Boats have replaced vehicles in many parts of the city as water has overtaken the streets.
In the capital, Lucknow, heavy rains have battered the city for more than 50 straight hours. Neighborhoods like Gomti Nagar are flooded with sewage water, and roads have turned into rivers, with videos showing dogs swimming in submerged alleys. Schools were closed in 12 districts Monday, including Lucknow, due to safety concerns.
Across the state, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has mobilized emergency services and is personally monitoring the situation. Ministers from the state's emergency response task force, Team-11, visited several affected districts on Sunday, overseeing rescue efforts and distributing relief material. The Chief Minister has emphasized strict oversight, warning officials against any lapse in relief delivery.
According to Relief Commissioner Bhanu Chandra Goswami, 17 districts are currently flood-affected, spanning 37 tehsils and 402 villages. These include Kanpur Nagar, Lakhimpur Kheri, Agra, Auraiya, Chitrakoot, Ballia, Banda, Ghazipur, Mirzapur, Prayagraj, Varanasi, Chandauli, Jalaun, Kanpur Dehat, Hamirpur, Etawah, and Fatehpur.
More than 84,000 residents have been impacted by the floods. Emergency rations have reached 47,906 people, and 2,759 livestock have been relocated. Floodwaters have damaged at least 343 homes; 327 affected families have received compensation. An estimated 4,015 hectares of farmland is submerged.
The state has deployed personnel from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), and Provincial Armed Constabulary (PAC) for 24/7 patrol and rescue. Relief is being distributed via 493 boats and motorboats, and over 6,500 food kits and 76,000 hot meals have been delivered. Twenty-nine community kitchens have been set up in flood-affected zones.
The India Meteorological Department has forecast continued rainfall across 45 districts of the state on Monday, raising fears of further inundation and prolonged relief challenges.
Though monsoon rains are a seasonal staple in India, the scale and intensity of this year’s deluge in Uttar Pradesh underscore growing concerns about urban flooding, inadequate drainage, and floodplain mismanagement. Experts have repeatedly warned that without timely desilting of rivers, robust embankments, and upgraded sewage systems, such disasters are likely to become more frequent and more destructive.
For now, rescue and relief remain the immediate priority. But as the rains continue and the rivers rage, the long-term challenge of building a flood-resilient Uttar Pradesh looms large.
