Thousands flee to safer places as rivers rise in Allahabad

Allahabad: Thousands of people fled their homes to safer places as rivers Ganga and Yamuna yesterday swelled alarmingly, and flowed a metre above the danger mark, inundating low-lying areas in the city.

The water level of both the rivers hovered around 86-mt and was rising a centimetre an hour, officials said.

As both the rivers rose menacingly flooding several low-lying areas, thousands fled their homes in search of safety.

Some shifted to upper storeys of their houses, the officials said.

Panic struck Allahpur locality following a breach in an embankment erected to protect a sewage treatment plant, the officials said adding the gushing water was threatening to wash away a sluice gate.

Residents were seen plugging the breach with the help of sacks full of sand as the spectre of flood loomed large over the city.