Hell and high water

The annual cycle of drought and flood in India routinely makes headlines but it appears that this time the floods have the upper hand. Prolonged and intense monsoon rainfall has led rivers in northern and eastern India to flow above the danger mark, breach banks and overflow into habitation. As the Planning Commission Deputy Chairman Montek Singh Ahluwalia and other influencers debate if the Below Poverty Line cap for daily expenditure must be raised above Rs 32 (Rs 26 in rural India), untamed waters have devastated the livelihoods of about 4 million people in north and east India. In Orissa alone, 2.2 million people have been affected. Over 1,700 rural roads have been damaged and the state government has earmarked Rs 1,210 crore to bring life back to normal while it has asked the Centre for Rs 3,265 crore as compensation. The states of Assam, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal are also struggling to cope as rivers in spate have swept away people, livestock, bridges and homes.

AP Photo/Biswaranjan Rout

AP Photo/Biswaranjan Rout

A woman carries her injured son through flood waters at Pahanga village in Orissa's Jajpur district. Monsoon rains have destroyed mud huts and flooded wide swaths of north and east India, leaving hundreds of thousands of people marooned by the raging waters.
 
AP Photo/ Aftab Alam Siddiqui

AP Photo/ Aftab Alam Siddiqui

At Kasimpurchak near Danapur Diara in Patna, a boat turns into a veritable Noah’s Ark as villagers share it with cattle to cross a flooded river. In Bihar, an estimated 2,512 boats have been deployed to evacuate 68,000 people as floods destroyed standing crops in 114,000 hectares of land and damaged over 15,000 homes and public buildings.
AP Photo/Kevin Frayer

AP Photo/Kevin Frayer

Boys row a makeshift banana raft on their way to a marooned community near Patamundi, about 120 kilometers north of Bhubaneshwar, India. The Orissa government has decided to withdraw air-dropping of relief materials as water levels have receded and most of the worst-hit areas are now accessible by road and some by boat. The death toll in the second spell of floods has risen to 40, an official said.
AP Photo/Biswaranjan Rout

AP Photo/Biswaranjan Rout

Villagers carrying relief materials brave floodwaters at Rasulpur village in Orissa's Jajpur district. The southwest monsoon, which brings rain from June through September, is vital to agriculture but also cause floods and landslides.
AP Photo/Biswaranjan Rout

AP Photo/Biswaranjan Rout

Twenty out of Orissa’s 30 districts have been affected by successive floods and road communication has been snapped in several areas. The state government has decided to construct permanent helipads in coastal region for relief operation.
AP Photo/Biswaranjan Rout

A villager stands on all that is left of a bridge at Rasulpur village in Orissa's Jajpur district. Several bridges have been washed off, disrupting road connections across the beleaguered state. Three hundred rural bridges will be restored at a cost of Rs 1,000 crore under the Orissa Rural Bridges Scheme.


AP Photo/Biswaranjan Rout

AP Photo/Biswaranjan Rout

A woman returns to her village through flood waters at Rasulpur village in Orissa's Jajpur district. A spokesperson of the National Rural Health Mission said 978 women in advanced stages of pregnancy had been marooned by the worst floods to hit the state in three decades.
AP Photo/Biswaranjan Rout

AP Photo/Biswaranjan Rout

A girl sleeps at her mud hut surrounded by flood waters at Pahanga village in Orissa's Jajpur district. Nearly a thousand villages have been marooned by floods sparked by two spells of incessant monsoon rain.
AP Photo/Biswaranjan Rout

AP Photo/Biswaranjan Rout

A villager returns to his marooned house in Bari village, about 130 kilometers from Bhubaneshwar. The state government said it would spend Rs 1208 crore within 45 days on restoration and reconstruction work.
AP

AP

Village boys cross a flooded area on a makeshift raft in Orissa. The state government has decided to waive the examination fee for high school students in flood-affected areas.
AP Photo/Bikas Das

AP Photo/Bikas Das

Villagers ford floodwaters at Patamundi near Kendrapara, about 120 kilometers north of Bhubaneshwar. The state government has sought Rs 3,265 crore as grant from the National Disaster Relief Fund (NDRF) towards damages suffered in the twin floods in September.
AP Photo/Kevin Frayer

AP Photo/Kevin Frayer

Flood-displaced boys fish in floodwaters. An estimated 1109 villages have been marooned in two spells of flooding in 10 districts of Orissa.
REUTERS/Mukesh Gupta

REUTERS/Mukesh Gupta

Men ride a bicycle through a flooded road after a heavy downpour on the outskirts of Jammu. Monsoon rains were one percent above normal in mid-September, weakening from 39 percent above average in the previous week, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said, easing concerns that heavy rains could damage planted crops.
AP

AP

Townsfolk in Varanasi wade through flood waters caused due to excess rainfall. Monsoon rains caused mud-walled homes to collapse and rescuers are struggling to reach affected villages in eastern Uttar Pradesh.
REUTERS/Parivartan Sharma

REUTERS/Parivartan Sharma

A car submerged in a flooded underpass after heavy rains in Noida, near New Delhi. Above-normal monsoon rains affected life all over north India.
 

71 comments

  • new  •  6 months ago
    every time rain hit India. a jackpot hits the pocket of corrupt politicians,
    • Naveen 6 months ago
      100 % awosem line man
    • Naveen 6 months ago
      superb man
    • parameswar 5 months ago
      People of this country have a tendency to suffer. Year after year, floods happen and the houses of those who stay nearby river banks get washed away. However, people do not think of changing their dwellings and as soon as the monsoon stops, they again build their houses at the same places where they were washed away. Perhaps, such an attitude, can be attributed to our religion wherein suffering has been given utmost importance. That is why many people resort to sanyasa and are ready to face any sort of sufferings repeatedly.
  • raman  •  7 months ago
    this is the real india false claims of development are made.why so much of gap between poor and rich.villages and metros.why all the progress is confined to 1% of population.my heart cries for these people.
  • Rita  •  6 months ago
    What does Nature want from us. We don't know. What Nathas want from us is Money and Land. Life is getting very difficult on earth. NATURE AND NATHAS BOTH MAKING OUR LIFE DIFFICULT.
  • rajaram  •  7 months ago
    Those who are in safe place like Bangalore, should see these people who struggle for life. Then only they realize what exactly the life is.
  • indian  •  6 months ago
    If you want to donate or help someone - go in person to flood place and help them. God would see your duty and deeds. If people who want to show off donation to govt, companies and NGO then that leads to BIG scan. This is really sad that these state govt ministers have left this state so poor.
    The saddest part is - they open 10000+ IT companies in one place and forget the other 50-60 villages to improve in irrigation/ industrial areas. If there is no seeds/veg/oil then even the IT earned money cannot be used. Improve INDIA at all levels. Make people get educated in all fields based on the situation so people get food and home facility.
  • Krishna  •  7 months ago
    every photo is awasome yaar.. thnxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
    • Krishna 7 months ago
      Help to other Person
    • satish 6 months ago
      here ur looking for pics??????? ur saying awesome cant u see their problems
    • satish 6 months ago
      people here are for enjoy pics....... i think
  • Naik  •  7 months ago
    So the next corruption to start on the 5000 crores funds that are to be released now for flood relief..
  • Health Care RO.UV 6999077 ...  •  Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh  •  4 months ago
    This is unsafe
  • New Indian  •  5 months ago
    Extraordinary photography!!!
    • Babysrss 5 months ago
      PSYCHOOOOOO.....!!!! u looks mad!
  • Ramesh M K  •  6 months ago
    Still I am proud to be an Indian
  • Ramesh M K  •  6 months ago
    still, proud to be an Indian
  • venisha  •  Mumbai, Maharashtra  •  4 months ago
    Still in Many parts of India. People are suffering a lot bcoz of these natural Calamities. Plz Pray for this New Year that the Whole Globe should have a Peace and No Harm for the Pitty Peoples and inocent Child's.
  • JAYA  •  Bangalore, Karnataka  •  4 months ago
    OH GOD PLS HELP THEM
  • Kishore  •  Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh  •  4 months ago
    Hi help the poor people those who are facing thaaanee
  • Gopalakrishna  •  Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh  •  5 months ago
    let this repeat year after year to enable funds released for relief eaten by our own LEADERS AND BUROCRATS. god bless the people to have this again and again. the poor to suffer continuously and vote for theese leaders again
  • donkey  •  7 months ago
    I am a elected minister... So dare you accuse methis is another situation when i can have a free chopper rideto see how large a compensation bill can be made and i can have a hand on #$%$ ensure that no media covers the state which is not ruled by my govtlike odisha....I ll ensure not to make any permanent settlement so that floods never happen againshit... I am wasting my time writing thislet me go and distribute clothes, food and drugsin full media highlightand ask the companies for share for giving tenders to them for clothes, food and drugsso dare you to accuse mei am a minister...sorry elected minister
    • Babysrss 5 months ago
      ha ha ha... exactly!!!
  • Shivam Rohilla  •  7 months ago
    this kind of reality compel to see the other phase of life.. That phase which is most critical for many people to live... I am really thank full to god for me.. But I am praying for them also..
  • Rama Rao  •  Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh  •  5 months ago
    most of our Political leaders do not live in such places so they don't bother to see these pics and act upon.... !
  • VIKAS  •  Bangalore, Karnataka  •  5 months ago
    Wow......stunning
  • NEEL  •  5 months ago
    I wanna go, would love the trip.