Western UP declared a disaster-hit zone

Hundreds of persons have been rescued from 29 flood-hit villages of Muzaffarnagar district in western Uttar Pradesh and are being located to the relief camps.

Chief Minister Mayawati conducted an aerial survey of the flood-affected areas after which western Uttar Pradesh was declared a disaster-hit zone. The chief minister also sought a flood relief package of Rs 2000 crore from the Centre.

The Uttar Pradesh health department has alerted the district authorities to take precautions against the spread of epidemics in 10 flood-affected districts and have declared them 'sensitive', official sources said.

District Chief Medical Officer Dr Anand Swroop said that the health department has taken precautions to check the spread of diseases after flood waters recede and eight medical teams of doctors have been sent to the affected areas for the purpose.

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Chief Medical Officers of the areas have been asked to prepare mobile medical teams of doctors to check the spread of diseases which can increase after the waters recede.

Some of the worst-affected districts are Muzaffarnagar, Moradabad, Rampur, Bijnore, Bareilly, Pilibhit, Shajahanpur, Jotipholanagar, Badayun and Saharanpur.

A farmer was washed away in the overflowing Yamuna river at Dond Kheri village in Muzaffarnagar district, police said on Thursday.

The mishap occurred yesterday when Mohkam (27) was returning from his fields and slipped into the river, they said, adding that his body was later recovered. Two pregnant women, Koshal (25) and Manju (26) were rescued from the area flooded by the Ganga and moved to safer places.

District Magistrate Santosh Kumar told PTI that these women were shifted from the relief camp to a government hospital after they complained of labour pain, where they delivered their babies.