With incessant rains continuing to wreak havoc in parts of north and east India, the risk of rivers bursting out into farmlands and villages runs high.
Villagers in the Bahraich district of Uttar Pradesh, where rivers have crossed the danger mark, gathered at the bank of River Ganga on Sunday to perform special prayers pleading to the swelled-up river to recede.
"Villages and huge stretches of farmland have submerged into the river. We are praying to the Goddess Ganga to return now. We are distressed. There is continuous rain and nowhere to sleep. We need tents and food but there is no help from the administration or government so far," said a local.
Some of the affected villages include Khujji, Gulabpurva, and Birghupurva. Authorities, however, ensure that they are vigilant and have stepped up their efforts to ensure the situation doesn't get out of control.
"We are taking regular readings of the water level in the river, which is below the danger level. However, some villages have submerged into the river while water is accumulating in a few others due to incessant rain in the area," Ram Suresh Verma, the Additional District Magistrate, told ANI.
"We have installed pumping sets to clear the water from some of the affected villages and asked the Sub Divisional Magistrates to regularly visit the affected areas to take stock of the situation. If we feel the need, we will also avail support from the government," Verma added.