Heavy rains cripple Lucknow

LUCKNOW - The season’s first heavy downpour Monday left this Uttar Pradesh capital nearly inundated and threw life out of gear, with traffic snarls reported from across the city.

The traffic police had a difficult time clearing the jams which lasted for several hours on the city’s main thoroughfares.

Hazratganj, the city’s main shopping centre, was flooded for nearly four hours with people forced to wade through the standing water that had submerged the footpaths as well.

Several key underpasses witnessed waist-deep or knee-deep water, paralysing vehicular movement.

Since the rain was widespread across Uttar Pradesh, similar reports were received from other parts of the state as well. Not only road, but even rail traffic was affected in some places.

The level of almost all major and minor rivers was on the rise. The Ganga was reported to be getting close to the danger mark at different places, posing a threat to a large population living in the vast rural expanse along its nearly 800-km course between Hardwar and Ballia.

The state government has alerted the district magistrates of all flood-prone districts.

Weather officials have predicted more rain through the night.