Rain fell upstream, Lucknow flooded days later
Instead, it is the downstream result of an eight- to 10-day movement of runoff generated nearly 250km upstream, where exceptionally heavy rain across Gomti catchment travelled gradually to the state capital. On Monday afternoon, Gomti was measured at 106.99 metres at Hanuman Setu, below the danger mark of 109.50 metres and far below the historic high flood level of 110.85 metres recorded in 1971. Lucknow: The state capital has witnessed flooding in several neighbourhoods over the past few days, but officials say the waterlogging is not solely the outcome of local rainfall. This travel time explains why the river continued to rise in the city even after the heaviest rainfall had ended.
Rainfall data from Sept 25 to 27 shows the scale of precipitation across districts feeding Gomti.
Hydrologists said the cumulative rainfall across the upstream basin, rather than Lucknow’s rainfall alone, determines how much water ultimately reaches the city. Runoff generated across Pilibhit, Shahjahanpur, Lakhimpur Kheri, Hardoi and Sitapur continued feeding Gomti as it moved downstream, sustaining the river’s rise even as skies cleared over Lucknow. Anil Garg, principal secretary of the irrigation and water resources department, attributed the inundation to three factors acting together: exceptionally heavy basin-wide rainfall, smaller rivers and streams reaching maximum carrying capacity after intense precipitation, and the urbanisation or encroachment of Gomti’s floodplain.
With the runoff generated during the Sept 25 to 27 spell nearing the end of its travel time to Lucknow, Gomti is expected to stabilise by Tuesday evening and begin a gradual recession from Wednesday morning. Officials expect gradual improvement if there is no fresh heavy rainfall in upstream districts. You Can Also Check: Gold Rate in Lucknow | Silver Rate in Lucknow | Bank Holidays in Lucknow | Public Holidays in Lucknow | Lucknow AQI | Weather in Lucknow | Petrol Price in Lucknow | Diesel Price in Lucknow | CNG Price in Lucknow | LPG Price in Lucknow