Authorities intensify flood preparedness across Moradabad division
Several rivers in the Moradabad division were flowing dangerously close to their danger levels on Thursday after heavy rainfall in the hills, prompting district administrations to step up flood-readiness measures and activate multiple flood posts and rescue teams.
Officials said the River Ganga at the Bijnor barrage was discharging about 1.26 lakh cusecs of water and the water level stood at 218.70 metres. The Ramganga, Ganga, Kosi, Malan, Kho and Dhela rivers across the division were reported to be roughly 1.5–2 metres below their respective danger marks, increasing the risk of inundation in low-lying and agriculture-sensitive areas.
Bijnor district magistrate Jasjit Kaur said swollen tributaries had already led to flooding in parts of the district. "Water from the Malan river has entered several villages, including Muzaffarpur Kesho, Bakarpur and Brahampuri," she said. The Chandpur–Hastinapur road was submerged and the Ganga had entered villages in the Jalilpur block, according to the administration.
- Division-wide alert: 124 flood posts activated across five districts.
- Bijnor: 32 flood posts and 35 shelters activated; river gauges under continuous monitoring.
- Moradabad: 35 flood posts monitoring 199 agriculture-sensitive villages and vulnerable urban pockets.
- Rampur: 30 flood posts and 12 vulnerable villages identified.
- Sambhal: 16 flood posts, 13 shelters, 52 divers and 100 disaster volunteers kept on standby.
Traffic disruptions were reported as water flowed over several bridges and road stretches. In Bijnor, water was reported over bridges on the Bijnor–Ravali and Mandawar–Haridwar roads, isolating some villages from the district headquarters. The administration has diverted traffic on the Bijnor–Haridwar route via Najibabad, officials said.
"The swift current of the Kho river is eroding agricultural land in the district," Jasjit Kaur said, underlining risks to crops and riverbank habitations.
District administrations have placed quick response teams, trained divers, PAC flood-rescue units and disaster volunteers on alert. Authorities are issuing regular weather and river-level advisories; in Bijnor, river gauges and forecasts are being checked and weather alerts circulated every two hours.
| District | Flood posts | Shelters / Volunteers |
|---|---|---|
| Bijnor | 32 | 35 shelters |
| Moradabad | 35 | Monitoring 199 agriculture-sensitive villages |
| Rampur | 30 | 12 vulnerable villages |
| Sambhal | 16 | 13 shelters, 52 divers, 100 volunteers |
Local officials said the immediate priority is safeguarding lives, livestock and standing crops as riverbanks erode and low-lying habitations face inundation. Erosion caused by the fast-flowing Kho river was specifically highlighted as damaging agricultural land in Bijnor.
For residents in flood-prone stretches of Moradabad division the operational measures mean possible short-notice evacuations, road diversions and temporary suspension of river-crossing points. Administration advisories urged villagers in vulnerable belts to stay prepared and follow instructions from local disaster-management teams.
State and district agencies will continue monitoring upstream rainfall and inflows from hilly catchments that feed the rivers. Authorities said further action would depend on changes in river discharge and meteorological forecasts; rescue and relief resources have been pre-positioned to shorten response times in case river levels rise to danger marks.
Given the scale of preparedness — 124 flood posts across the division and a network of shelters, divers and volunteers — officials said the emphasis is on early warning, rapid evacuation where needed and protection of agricultural assets until flood peaks pass through the system.
Residents are advised to keep mobile phones charged, maintain contact numbers of local administration and disaster-response teams, and move to identified shelters when instructed. Farmers in the monitored 199 agriculture-sensitive villages in Moradabad are being asked to safeguard farm inputs and livestock to the extent possible.
