Lucknow-Delhi highway flooded near Moradabad

A stretch of the Lucknow-Delhi National Highway has been closed for traffic after it was flooded near Moradabad district due to release of water from three dams which also left 50 villages inundated.

Heavy rains in the last two days in Uttar Pradesh have also left six persons dead, official sources said here.

Traffic movement on a stretch of the National Highway Number 24 connecting Delhi with Lucknow was suspended late last night after it was flooded by water from Koshi and Ram Ganga river, they said.

"The flood situation aggravated after more than one lakh cusec from Kalagarh dam and 70,000 cusec from Dhaura, Behgul, Nanak Sagar dams in Ramganga river was released affecting more than 50 villages in Bareilly, Moradabad and Rampur districts," the sources said.

Suspension of vehicular movement has led to massive traffic jam on the route and flood situation was posing threat to the railway line as well, they said. 

In Bareilly where Ramganga was flowing above the danger mark, Army has been called for rescue and relief operations, they said, adding an alert has been sounded by the administration.

Sources said that six deaths were reported in rain related incidents in Bareilly, Moradabad, Pilibhit and Rampur districts.

District magistrate, Bareilly, Anil Garg said that a close vigil was being maintained in flood-hit areas and affected people were being relocated to safe places.