Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday spoke to Varanasi district magistrate Satyendra Kumar and mayor Ashok Tiwari over the phone and obtained detailed information about flood situation in the temple town.
Saraiya, Dhelwaria and Salarpur and several other localities are heavily affected by the flood. Currently, water is rising at the rate of 2cm per hour. He has instructed the officials to stay alert and extend help to the flood affected people in the camps.
Of the 640 displaced families, 407 have taken shelter in 16 flood relief camps set up in Badi Bazar, Salarpur, Konia, Sikraul, Dhelwaria, Daniyalpur, Hukulganj among others, whereas 233 families are living in their neighbourhood, said a flood bulletin issued by Varanasi district administration. The water level of the Ganga was recorded 70.60 metres in Varanasi on Wednesday and the rising trend was continuing, according to the Central Water Commission. It has already crossed warning level: 70.262 metres. Officials said 98 flood relief kits were distributed among the flood-affected people, and a total of 11,255 food packets, including 3,110 distributed on Wednesday, were given to the affected people at the flood relief camps.
The district magistrate said he is personally monitoring the situation and ensuring that people living in the flood relief camps do not face any inconvenience.
