Ganga Crosses Warning Mark in Varanasi

VARANASI: The Ganga moved above its warning level in Varanasi on Tuesday, pushing floodwater deeper into riverside neighbourhoods and forcing families in low-lying areas along the Varuna to move towards safer ground.

The Central Water Commission's Rajghat gauge recorded 70.29 metres at 10 pm, three centimetres above the warning mark of 70.26 metres. The river was still 97 centimetres below the danger level of 71.26 metres, but the difference between those two numbers offered little comfort in settlements where water had already entered lanes, homes and fields.

Reports from the city said localities in 11 wards were affected. From Nakkhighat and Saraiya to the old bridge area, residents carried clothes, documents, medicines and cooking supplies out of ground-floor rooms. Relief camps were opened in Nakkhighat, Saraiya and Purana Pul, while children and older residents were moved first. The Varuna's rise compounded the pressure created by the Ganga, spreading water through densely occupied neighbourhoods away from the main ghats.

The impact was visible along Kashi's riverfront as well. Dashashwamedh Ghat was submerged at the lower levels, the Subah-e-Banaras platform at Assi went under water and access to Manikarnika and Harishchandra ghats became difficult. Funeral parties faced waits reported at six to seven hours as cremations shifted to upper platforms, rooftops and narrow approach lanes. In some places, boats were used to move bodies closer to usable steps.

At Nagwa drain, electricity near the waterline was switched off as a precaution. Rameshwar Math shifted belongings from its lower floor, anticipating that another rise could bring water inside. In the rural belt, fields, village links and stretches around Chaubepur were also affected.

This is the eighth time since 2013 that the Ganga has crossed the warning mark in Varanasi, according to local reporting. In 2019 and 2022, the river went above the danger level. That history explains the urgency behind early evacuation even when the present reading remains below the red line.

Residents should follow district advisories rather than judge safety from familiar landmarks. A lane that appears shallow can hide an open drain, a broken surface or a strong current. Power switches in inundated buildings should not be touched, and children should be kept away from the water. The central question over the next few readings is not simply whether the river rises further, but how long high water remains trapped in the Varuna-side settlements where drainage is already under stress. Upstream rainfall may still alter that calculation.