The Gomti river rose marginally in Lucknow on Thursday, prompting the district administration to deploy 52 boats and expand relief operations across flood-affected settlements, even as falling water levels upstream raised expectations that the river could begin receding within 24 hours.
According to the irrigation department, the river level at Hanuman Setu increased by 6 centimetres, from 107.24 metres on Wednesday evening to 107.3 metres at 6 pm on Thursday. The level at Gau Ghat reached 108.6 metres, while the Gomti Barrage recorded 107.05 metres.
The administration’s boat deployment is intended to provide relief and transport facilities to residents in areas affected by the flooding. District magistrate Vishakh G inspected Jehta, Barawan Kalan, Saitha, Hayat Nagar, Munna Lal Khera and Umrai Khera by boat, according to the report. During the inspection, officials distributed cooked meals and drinking water to affected families.
A relief camp has been established at Hayat Nagar, with medical and revenue teams deployed round the clock. The administration has also arranged mobile toilets, indicating that the flooding has created requirements beyond immediate evacuation and food distribution in affected settlements.
The latest local rise came as upstream gauges showed a decline. At Neemsar in Sitapur, the river level had fallen by 50 centimetres since September 29 to reach 121.52 metres. At Bhatpurwa, the level declined by 15 centimetres since October 2 to 113.01 metres. Officials expect this upstream trend to bring relief to Lucknow within the next 24 hours.
The district response also includes measures for risks created by floodwaters entering inhabited areas. Forest department personnel have been stationed to rescue snakes and other animals entering flooded settlements. Their deployment reflects the secondary safety concerns that emerge when water moves into homes and local access routes.
The different gauge readings show why flood response depends on monitoring the river across multiple points rather than relying on a single location. A marginal rise in Lucknow can coexist with falling levels upstream, while conditions at individual ghats, barrages and settlements continue to differ. For residents in the affected areas, access to boats, drinking water, cooked food, sanitation and medical assistance remains central while the river’s local level is monitored.
The administration’s next operational milestone is the expected change in the Gomti’s level over the following 24 hours. Officials will continue monitoring the upstream decline and local gauges while relief, medical, revenue, sanitation and animal-rescue teams remain deployed in the flood-hit settlements.
