In Flood-Hit Uttar Pradesh Village, A Rope Turns A Family's Lifeline

For the last four days , 42-year-old Doda Yadav , a farmer in eastern Uttar Pradesh's Ballia district, part of a village in the riverine areas of Ganga, has barely managed to venture out of his two-room house. When he does, it is only by using a rope that he has strung from his home to the closest possible higher ground -- about 20 metres away.

Doda says each night, he and his family of 5 use these ropes to navigate. "There are no boats, there is nothing to eat. We can't figure out what to do," he said, asked what he and his family will do if the water in the adjoining Ganga continues to rise.

From Ballia in eastern Uttar Pradesh to the Bundelkhand region, it is a tough time for people as flood waters from the Ganga and Ken rivers inundated hundreds of villagers in both regions. Over 2 lakh people are affected.

While floods are normal for Ballia, this year may break records, with the Ganga flowing dangerously close to its all-time high recorded three decades ago.

Over 1 lakh people are affected and 400 boats have been deployed for rescue. "We have rescued over 200 people today. There is water everywhere. It's a little time consuming and difficult," said Pl Sharma from the National Disaster Response Force, who is in charge of relief operations.

In Banda, part of Bundelkhand's drought-affected areas that saw scanty rainfall over the last few years and two consecutive droughts, a major river is flowing 8 metres above the danger mark, thousands of people are displaced.

A few kilometres away, in Fatehpur, 150 villages are under water. "We are setting up relief camps and the priority is to get people into them soonest," said district magistrate Vedpati Mishra.