Flood situation grim in Allahabad, schools shut for two days

Allahabad, Aug 22 (PTI) Floods have affected severalpeople here with schools been ordered to close down and peopletaking shelter in relief camps. Both Ganga and Yamuna have crossed the danger mark by morethan a metre and water levels in both the rivers are steadilyrising by a rate of about three cm per hour, official sourcessaid. Low-lying areas of the city, including residentialcolonies as well as temples located in the vicinity of theSangam, have been lying submerged for quite some time. An aerial survey was conducted by District MagistrateSanjay Kumar in remote villages of the district’s trans-Yamunaregion and also supervised air-dropping of packets of food ata number of places. He also ordered closure of all schools in the district,upto intermediate level, for the next two days and warned thatinstitutions failing to comply with the direction would facestern action. He also issued an appeal to the common people to avoidvisiting river banks for the purpose of sightseeing andclicking of selfies. A young man had drowned in the Ganga on Saturday when heslipped while trying to take a selfie alongside the swollenriver bed. PTI NAC MNG ZMNMNG