Moradabad (Uttar Pradesh) [India], September 13 [ANI]: Persistent waterlogging in parts of Moradabad, Uttar Pradesh, has forced several families to abandon their inundated homes and shift to rented accommodations as floodwaters continue to affect residential areas.
Prolonged flooding caused by the swelling of the Ganga River has left dozens of properties submerged for more than a week. Residents said floodwaters have entered homes and rendered them uninhabitable, forcing families to lock their houses and move to safer locations.
"We are unable to go out because of the water, so we have locked up our house. Now we are living on rent... There has been waterlogging here for the past 8 days... There are about 25 to 30 houses here where locks have been put on," a resident told ANI.
Another resident said, “Due to the water, we have closed our house. For about 1 week, we have been living on rent... Water has also entered the houses..."
The remarks came after a flood-like situation triggered panic in several villages of Moradabad district as the water level of the Ramganga River rose following heavy rainfall in the region. The rising water level has affected residential areas as well as agricultural land, with residents facing difficulties in accessing their homes and protecting their belongings.
Meanwhile, floodwaters were seen inching closer to farmland and orchards in the affected areas, leaving villagers concerned about further damage to their crops and property. Several residents are attempting to protect trees in orchards by tying them together to prevent them from being uprooted by the force of the rising water.
Describing the extent of the damage, a resident said the flood has severely affected a mango orchard in the area.
"This is a mango orchard. We tied trees to prevent them from uprooting. Many trees were already uprooted because of the flood, and it is still ongoing," the local said.
The resident further added, "The village was facing severe erosion earlier, but now that we've tied them up, it has slowed down a bit," the local added.
Elaborating on the financial toll, the villager said the flood has caused losses of lakhs of rupees.
"We lost about 14-15 bighas of land, and the loss amounts to at least Rs 20-25 lakh," the resident said, adding that the heavy damage has left everyone struggling to recover. The village is suffering massive damage. The crops are completely ruined; we are left with nothing," the local said, underlining the extent of agricultural devastation caused by the flooding.
Officials have not yet issued a formal statement on relief and rehabilitation measures for the affected villages. Local authorities are reportedly monitoring the river's water level amid concerns that continued rainfall could worsen the situation further. Residents have appealed to the district administration for urgent assistance, including compensation for crop and land losses, as the threat of further erosion and flooding threatens large areas of the region. (ANI)
"We have locked up our houses": Flooding forces families to abandon homes in Moradabad
