PRAYAGRAJ: The holy city of Prayagraj once again finds itself under the looming shadow of a flood crisis as the twin rivers, Ganga and Yamuna, continue to rise alarmingly, inching ever closer to the official danger mark of 84.73 meters.
By Monday evening (4 PM), the Ganga had already breached the 84-meter level at Phaphamau, while the Yamuna at Naini was expected to touch the same threshold either late Monday night or by early Tuesday morning.
Officials expressed cautious optimism that the Yamuna might stabilize, but the Ganga shows no signs of slowing its relentless surge.
Current projections suggest that if the trend persists, the river could cross the danger mark by Tuesday and swell further to 85 meters. Experts anticipate that water levels in both rivers may continue to rise steadily over the next two days, keeping the administration and residents on edge.
Massive barrage discharge fuels crisis
One of the biggest contributors to the worsening situation is the large-scale discharge of water from the Kanpur Barrage, which has become a nightmare for Prayagraj residents.
On Monday alone, nearly 4.33 lakh cusecs of water were released, surpassing the 4.16 lakh cusecs discharged the previous day.
The Yamuna, too, continues to swell with heavy inflows. After a brief decline at Auraiya and Chillaghat, the river has begun rising again.
To make matters worse, additional water released from Mathura and Agra is expected to reach Prayagraj in the coming days, while the rising Tons River is adding further pressure on the already fragile situation.
Urban and rural neighborhoods submerge.
The rising water has begun to exact its toll even before the Ganga crosses the official danger mark. Several urban and semi-urban neighborhoods located along the riverbanks are already reeling under floodwater.
Localities such as Draupadighat, Kachar Mau, Mau Saraiya, Beli, Nevda, Baghada Jahruddin, Baghada Balan, Mehdouri Kachar, Shivkuti, Salori, Karelabaag, and Kareli have witnessed water entering streets and homes, leaving families in distress.
In the rural belt, floodwaters have swept into villages in Phulpur tehsil such as Badra, Sonauthi, Dhokri, and Solilapur, while in Karchana tehsil, the villages of Dehli and Bhagesar are already inundated. The swelling waters of the Sasur Khaderi River, a Yamuna tributary, are also spilling into nearby settlements, heightening local anxiety.
Thousands of families affected, relief camps under strain
The humanitarian fallout of the floods has been swift and severe. More than 10,000 families have already been affected by the rising waters, forcing many to abandon their homes and livelihoods. At least 250 families have sought refuge in the four relief camps set up by the district administration across the city.
The camps, however, are beginning to feel the strain as more people arrive each day. Families living near the riverbanks report that floodwaters are seeping into their homes not just from the main river channel, but also through drains and sewage pipelines, worsening health and sanitation risks.
Officials on high alert
Authorities have issued urgent warnings to residents of low-lying areas, urging them to move immediately to safer ground.
According to the Executive Engineer of the Irrigation Department, Digvijay Narayan Shukla, the crisis is far from over: The water levels of both Ganga and Yamuna will continue to rise gradually. Citizens must remain vigilant and follow safety instructions without delay.”
With both rivers swelling and forecasts predicting further rain upstream, Prayagraj is bracing itself for what could turn into a full-scale flood emergency. Relief agencies and local administration remain on high alert, but the repeated surges in water levels are stretching resources thin and testing the resilience of the city’s residents.
A city caught in a recurring cycle
This is not the first time Prayagraj has faced the fury of its rivers. In past years, too—most notably in 2019 and 2021—large-scale floods forced thousands to evacuate, causing extensive damage to homes, farmland, and small businesses.
What makes the current crisis particularly worrying is the frequency of surges; in the past month alone, the Ganga has crossed the 84-meter mark three separate times, reflecting unusual and unpredictable water patterns.
Experts warn that such cycles are becoming increasingly common due to erratic rainfall, upstream barrage releases, and climate-related shifts in river behavior.
For now, as the Ganga and Yamuna continue to swell, Prayagraj’s residents can only hope the waters recede before the situation escalates into a disaster of larger proportions.
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