Archive · 28 Sep 2026
Heavy Rains Kill 56 in Uttar Pradesh, Trigger Flood Threat
Uttar Pradesh had very heavy rain for about three days.
Storms and flooding killed 56 people and injured 46 others.
More than 1,000 houses were damaged, and roads, villages and farms were covered with water.
Strong winds also knocked down trees and electric poles.
The Ghagra and Rapti rivers rose to dangerous or nearly dangerous levels.
Rescue workers moved people from flooded places to safer areas.
The weather system became weaker on Sunday, so the rain was expected to lessen.
Officials told people to avoid floodwater and fast-moving rivers.
Political leaders disagreed about how well the government and the Ganga Expressway handled the flooding.
Rain and storm-related incidents killed 56 people and injured 46 across Uttar Pradesh between September 25 and September 27.
Sitapur recorded the most deaths with seven, while Lakhimpur Kheri, Bahraich and Balrampur recorded five each.
Heavy rain and strong winds damaged 1,021 houses, crops, roads, trees and electric poles across the state.
The Ghagra and Rapti rivers rose above warning or danger levels, threatening low-lying areas with flooding.
The weather system weakened on Sunday as rescue teams evacuated stranded residents and officials organized relief and damage assessments.
- Who
- Residents of Uttar Pradesh, rescue teams, state relief officials, the India Meteorological Department, the Central Water Commission and political leaders including Akhilesh Yadav and Mayawati.
- What
- Rain and storm-related incidents caused 56 deaths, 46 injuries, flooding, waterlogging and damage to 1,021 houses and crops.
- When
- The main impacts occurred during the 60 hours between September 25 and the morning of September 27; the weather system weakened on Sunday.
- Where
- Across Uttar Pradesh, including Sitapur, Lakhimpur Kheri, Bahraich, Balrampur, Ayodhya, Gorakhpur, Unnao, Lucknow and other districts.
- Why
- A depression moved across the state, producing heavy rain and strong winds before weakening into a well-marked low-pressure area.
Government and Project Officials
Opposition Criticism and Appeals
Ganga Expressway conditions
Government and Project Officials
Project manager R. S. Mishra said the Ganga Expressway remained fully operational with normal traffic, with waterlogging reported only at one Unnao ramp.
Opposition Criticism and Appeals
Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav criticized the Uttar Pradesh government over waterlogging and suggested renaming the road the “Ganga Express Waterway.”
Cause of waterlogging
Government and Project Officials
Mishra said drainage at the Unnao ramp was partly affected by the relatively low height of a nearby high-tension power line, and officials were coordinating its relocation after the monsoon.
Opposition Criticism and Appeals
Akhilesh Yadav’s remarks portrayed the waterlogging as evidence of shortcomings in the government’s handling of the expressway during the rains.
Relief response
Government and Project Officials
The relief commissioner directed district officials to assess crop and house damage, arrange alternative accommodation, provide compensation and maintain contact with affected residents.
Opposition Criticism and Appeals
Mayawati urged governments to provide complete assistance on the ground and not limit their response to formalities.
- Deaths and injuries
- 56 people died and 46 were injured in rain- and storm-related incidents.
- Houses damaged
- Officials reported damage to 1,021 houses; Hardoi had the most reported house damage with 272 houses affected.
- Rainfall
- One report cited 45.1 mm in the 24 hours ending Sunday, against a normal 1.8 mm; another cited 66.5 mm between September 25 and September 27, against a normal 7.6 mm.
- Worst-affected districts by deaths
- Sitapur recorded seven deaths; Lakhimpur Kheri, Bahraich and Balrampur recorded five each.
- River levels
- The Ghagra at Elginbridge was above its danger level, while the Ghagra in Ayodhya and the Rapti at Balrampur were above warning levels.
- Weather system
- The depression weakened into a well-marked low-pressure area at 5:30 am on Sunday, reducing expected rain intensity.
- Emergency assistance
- The relief commissioner's office helpline was listed as 1070.
